Nudity is part of our everyday lives, and it is also quite present in video games. Whether we are talking about sexy costumes or full-frontal nudity, nearly every game today has something like this to offer.
Reasons for Explicit Nudity in Video Games
Nudity has been a topic of controversy for decades, and many ask what the reason for explicit nudity in video games is. It is not rare to find a game that offers full-frontal nudity and even sex scenes. Since the gaming industry is rapidly growing, it seems reasonable that some titles will have a wide variety of audiences.
Similarly to movies, each game will have an audience rating where the person buying it can see if there are profanities, nudity, violence, and such. Sometimes, sex scenes can be a reward, while in other games, they follow the story, and, let’s be honest, improve it.
Older video games based on puzzles had nudies as a reward for completing a level, for example. In other games, like the GTA series, it serves to make the story more realistic and add a degree of freedom.
Female Characters Usually Wear Sexy Costumes
If you’ve ever played an RPG (role-playing game), you’ve probably noticed how female armor seems a lot less protective. Women in video games often wear sexy costumes, and whether it is to complement the story or follow the source material, sometimes, it isn’t really PG-13.
Whenever you have the option of customizing your character, the choices can be interesting. Moreover, most female armors show curves and can be a lot more revealing than male ones.
Batman Arkham series games, for example, allow you to play as Catwoman, who is known for her tight, sexy catsuit. Furthermore, everyone knows (and loves) Lara Croft from the Tomb Raider games for her tight-fitting clothes. Even though new games seem more family-friendly, everyone still remembers those triangular breasts that were the object of many fantasies during the nineties.
And even if you don’t have the option to pick your own clothes, female characters in games can be quite provocative. One of the popular examples is Bayonetta from the series of the same name, whose clothes are also her hairstyle. Bayonetta is entirely naked, but her hair covers her body, so you can only catch a glimpse of what’s underneath.
Sex Scenes in Video Games
Besides an occasional flash of nudity, some games offer a lot of sex scenes. Naturally, we should first mention adult video games that range from sex to dating simulators. To no one’s surprise, these have sex scenes in them. Leisure Suit Larry is just one of the examples of adult-themed games where the player can enjoy nudity and sex. 
But there are also examples of titles where you can find sex scenes in otherwise not sexual games. The God of War series offered the player the chance to meet a lot of topless women and have a romance with them. Similarly, in the Witcher series, the player can visit several brothels in the game’s world. Aside from that, you can even enter a romantic relationship that can lead to sex with characters from the video game’s story.
In these games, sex is not the primary purpose, but it serves to deepen the story and enhance it. Sex scenes behave like the ones you can find in movies or TV shows. Even though they are present, that doesn’t make it porn. Instead, that segment of the game tells a story that the players would have otherwise missed.
Video Game Rating Guide
The most common type of video game rating system is ESRB, which was designed by a software board for video games. According to its guidelines, there are seven ratings that you can encounter.
Early Childhood or eC is the mildest type of game you can find. These titles have light elements, simple gameplay, and are designed for children over three years. You won’t find anything that might be questionable for the three-year-olds.
The second type is E, which is for everyone. Video games with rating E might have cartoonish violence but without real consequences. Similarly to Looney Toons cartoons, almost anyone can enjoy them.
The higher amount of violence leads to an E10+ rating, which is a bit more serious, but nothing controversial. The target audience for these games is over ten years, which means that they are suitable for all ages, but with parental guidance.
Teen rating is for children over thirteen years, and it can offer strong language, blood, gambling, violence, and more. The equivalent of teen rating would be PG13 for movies and TV shows.
Mature rating or 17+ is for older players, and the example is the God of War and GTA series we’ve mentioned. That means mature games can have nudity, violence, gambling, gore, strong language, and so much more. We recommend you inform yourself if you are looking to get an M-rated game for your children.
Finally, there is an Ao rating, which is for adults only. These games can have nudity and graphic sex as the central theme, but prolonged and gruesome violence can also earn Ao rating.
It is worth mentioning that it is also possible to find a game with a PR rating. That means the rating is pending or yet to be assigned.
Summary
Video games are fun, and, similarly to movies, they sometimes incorporate nudity or sex scenes to complement the story. However, there are x-rated video games that entirely focus on intercourse. Luckily, there is a rating system in place designed to inform you of the nature of the game before buying it. So, parents, make sure you check it before you buy your kid’s next Christmas present!