Game Development Reference
In-Depth Information
with the potentially devastating impacts of drugs and alcohol, with the
added kicker of a presumption that they are designed to entrap children in
the fi rst place. Concerns about problematic play would likely persist even
without the focus on children and video games, but the historical legacy of
the discourse fuels the ongoing discussion about the inherent risks of video
games for children.
The overarching threads of the discussion about violence and addictive-
ness of er an overview of the implications of children and video games, but
a deep look at two specifi c controversies shows how wordplay helps explain
the stakes of assumptions about the intended audience for video games.
MASS EFFECT
The original Mass Ef ect game was released in 2007 by BioWare and was
rated Mature by the ESRB, which means that it “may be suitable for ages 17
and older.” 22 After about thirty hours of play, players may be presented with
the option to engage in a romantic relationship with one of their crewmates.
Players are able to choose to play as either a female or male Shepard 23 and can
develop a heterosexual 24 relationship with a human crewmate or romance a
blue-skinned alien crewmate who possesses a female appearance. 25 In order
to develop a relationship with any of the other characters in the game, players
must choose a certain set of dialogue options and elect to complete a spe-
cifi c set of missions within the game. If they do not select these conversation
choices or decide not to do certain optional missions they may complete the
game without ever engaging in a romantic relationship. If they do success-
fully romance one of their crewmates a brief sex scene plays that is “no more
risqué in its plot or graphic in its depiction than evening network television” 26
and players are granted the Paramour achievement.
The reason why Mass Ef ect is interesting in the course of children and
gaming is because of two controversial incidents spurred by a handful of
conservative reports about the nature of the sex scene in the game. One
salvo was launched by Kevin McCullough in an article titled “The 'Sex-
Box' Race for President.” In the editorial, McCullough asks campaigning
presidential candidates to take a stand
on the new video game that one company is marketing to fi fteen year
old boys. It's called “ Mass Ef ect ” and it allows its players—universally
male no doubt—to engage in the most realistic sex acts ever conceived.
One can custom design the shape, form, bodies, race, hair style, breast
size of the images they wish to “engage” and then watch in crystal
clear, LCD, 54 inch screen, HD clarity as the video game “persons”
hump in every form, format, multiple gender-oriented possibility they
can think of. 27
 
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