It's about cotton-pickin' time. Last week, the first Sex In Games conference was announced, taking place in early June in San Francisco. It promises to be a stimulating three days of discussion, covering online and offline game plans. Panels include:
Creating Mainstream Erotic Games
Integrating International Success to the US Market
Emergent Sex in Video Games and Video Game Hardware
Creating Successful Online Erotic Games
Investing in Sexually Themed Games
Alternative Distribution Methods for AO Games
MMOEG Panel
As an emerging mass entertainment, the computer games industry has seen little inclusion of sex in games (bar hot coffee, Sam Fox, Leisure Suit Larry, Stroker (not safe for work) and Lula). Why? The homebrew market's thriving; why has there been no real investment in the mainstream games industry?
If you prefer the more subtle approach to lurve, you might consider the thoughts of three respected game designers, Raph Koster, Will Wright and Warren Spector, in their 2004 Game Developers Conference challenge: to make an interactive love story.