This is first of fourteen essays contained within the third issue of the Adult Analysis Anthology, a collection of longform writing that seeks to expand the breadth of critical discourse around adult games and adult game culture. If you’d like to support the creation of more high-quality writing about adult games the full anthology is available for purchase on Itch! Anthology logo by Pillow!
Written By: Zoquete
After the release of Deathblossom, my most recent NSFW game project, I paid close attention to the discussion surrounding the game’s presentation and themes. One exchange stood out to me in particular:
“Gameplay wise and game design wise the game is amazing. I felt it is a waste to make it into a hentai game because the hentai part is most di[s]appointing part”
“Honestly hard agree. The writing is easily the best part of this game, no contest, and the visual design i love just as much, but the porn is mediocre, and if it didn’t have porn it likely would be able to be mainstream, and get omega popular. So sad honestly, thinking how many people could’ve seen this game, and seen its story.”
“People are getting so prudish lately that I feel lonely in thinking that it’s fun to have some ero content in ‘normal’ games.”
They’re entitled to their opinion about the quality of my smut, but there’s something more interesting to unpack here. Why was it “a waste to make it into a hentai game”? Does adult content really prevent a game from being good or finding an audience? Is it merely a question of fitting erotica into an otherwise ‘normal’ game? These questions point to a broader underlying principle about the way we think of adult games that’s worth taking the time to dissect.
Continue reading “Yes, It Was Worth It: An Argument For Quality Porn Games”