What sex-driven adult games could mean for the porn industry, according to an expert

We had a chat about the adult gaming industry and its future with Steve Crimson aka Undergrad Steve. Steve is the head dev behind a hit game and our Game of the month College Kings and College Kings 2.

How will Porn Games change the Porn and Gaming Industry?

Over recent years, sex-driven, interactive adult games have soared in popularity, amassing followings of over 50 million users on some of the most popular sites.

With the development of high-quality animations, intriguing characters, and engaging storylines, which have become far more sophisticated and realistic as of late, a vast number of consumers are making the switch from traditional porn to adult games, marking a turning point in the world of adult entertainment. Why? The interactivity of these games allows for a high level of involvement, allowing users to feel more connected as they build relationships with characters and personalise their experience, satisfying every and any wild fantasy.

This uniqueness and interactivity, which has been paired with technology’s continued evolution, leads many to believe that the popularity of online games and graphic novels will only continue to grow – to the ongoing detriment of traditional porn. To help explain this fascination, Steve Crimson, a leading expert from College Kings 2 is on hand to discuss their rise in popularity, including the impact these adult games are having on the future of the porn industry.

What has caused this sudden growth of popularity?

The sudden surge in popularity of online adult games isn’t a surprising development, when considering the evolution and growth of the porn industry itself. As consumers now seek a deeper connection with the content they’re consuming, the world of adult gaming has seen substantial growth, with even the most popular porn sites setting aside entire sections dedicated to this. This has become a corner of the market that no one can ignore; from both consumer and corporate perspectives, adult games are hugely fruitful.

With more and more users having access to evolving technology, a demand for online games has only increased; the VR gaming industry for example reportedly earned $1.1bn USD in 2020 alone, whilst by 2025, the value of the adult VR market is expected to exceed more than £1bn USD, becoming the third largest virtual reality sector. In response to this, many adult porn sites and adult game developers have ramped up their development of tech-forward content, allowing users to become the protagonists in their own stories. Technology has evolved and consumers have a vested interest in digital offerings – something which has undoubtedly supported the growing popularity of adult gaming.

Of course, the link between gaming and pornography has always been present to some degree; video game characters have been popular searches on some of the most popular porn sites, for example, as Pornhub saw a 223% increase in searches for Resident Evil 2 just a week after its release. However, should mainstream games be over-sexualised, an adults-only rating substantially limits its sales opportunities, preventing retail and digital marketplace listings. Thankfully, the formation of online platforms such as Spicygaming and Patreon, and others reversing their ban on adult content (namely Steam), has provided developers with a place to sell their content. Seemingly, the rising popularity of adult games isn’t only attributable to technological advancements; creators saw a niche, recognised their need to differentiate adult content and, in doing so, have created an entirely new market. From there, the worlds of adult entertainment and gaming excitingly combined.

Simply put: consumers endorse technology and gamers often find kinks within their favourite titles – developers saw this overlap and by creating adult-only games, they’ve responded to an obvious gap in the market.

The transition of video games into the adult industry.

As mentioned, since the introduction of the oldest video games and respective consoles, there has always been some aspect of porn, or sexual content present. However, only within the last decade has this content skyrocketed in popularity. Out of the 50,000 games that were listed on the Steam store in 2021, almost 1,500 are categorised as porn games, with a significantly larger number containing scenes of nudity or sexual content to some degree.

This recent shift in this market has caught the attention of major porn producers, including MindGeek, As opposed to traditional games, whereby adult content is subtly integrated without, the games present on these platforms are entirely adult-themed, amassing millions of visits. 

How are sex-driven games competing with traditional porn?

Despite traditional porn fulfilling the needs of its viewers for decades, newly introduced restrictions on the content uploaded to these websites severely limits its ability to satisfy many consumers’ kinks and interests. With Pornhub in particular purging its video library in 2020, with around 9 million videos removed, users’ choices became substantially more limited. Whilst this was conducted for the right reason on Pornhub’s behalf, following an investigation from Mastercard and Visa into illegal material, consumers with niche kinks and fantasies found themselves feeling lost.

This provided adult games with a unique advantage, as users could shape their experiences in accordance with their own preferences and desires. For those with a niche kink, watching traditional porn may quickly become stale, as users often find themselves watching the same content over and over again; viewers cannot adapt or influence the actions of those within the videos, whereas sex-driven interactive games allow the user to take full control of any decisions made, steps they wish to take, and outcomes they hope to bring to life. Also, with the vast majority of interactive adult games following a decision-based storyline, where choices may impact your character, story progression, relationships, and outcomes, users can enjoy a unique experience every time the game is played. Adult games can therefore facilitate hundreds of hours of uniquely tailored satisfaction, delivering a much more satisfying experience than traditional porn typically provides.

HINT: YOU CAN PLAY COLLEGE KINGS COMPLETELY FREE

How adult games become harmful if not mediated correctly.

Despite the highest quality adult games being meticulously developed with engaging stories, characters, endings, and more, the industry is let down by those who use their technology inappropriately. Whilst games such as Second Life and College Kings 2 allow you to make friends, help people with their problems, develop relationships, find love, healthily explore your sexuality, form fun connections, and more, other poorly made games promote various aspects of sexual harassment or assault.

Whilst major adult gaming platforms are able to filter out these games via paywalls, or various other methods, there are still thousands of online adult sites which promote them. These titles inspire unrealistic expectations surrounding real-life sexual experiences, which is why many often criticise adult entertainment as a whole.

Thankfully, leaders within the adult gaming space, including Undergrad Steve the creators of College Kings and College Kings 2, work passionately to create games that promote healthy, realistic attitudes towards sex and dating. By spreading their own message and highlighting the dangers within less morally-driven games, they are working to make the entire industry safer and, in turn, change the stereotype that surrounds adult entertainment.

The interconnection between adult and gaming industries.

Video games have come a long way over recent years; personal computers, games consoles, and other home devices are now rout with sexualised content, encouraging many adult users to explore their sexuality in the comfort of their own homes. In fact, it was as early as 1981 when the first porn game was released on the Apple II, selling tens of thousands of copies within its first year. Considering the nation’s significantly lower income levels at this point in time, it was a noteworthy turning point for the industry.

HINT: GET A LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF PORN GAMES

As new technology continued to be developed, it was only a matter of time before porn began to infiltrate. Newer PC and gaming console models allowed consumers to play games on the internet, replacing the traditional arcade-style format. From there, video game developers began testing the waters, adding nudity, mild sexual content, and more to their games. Although, it wasn’t until the start of the 21st century that porn and gaming industries become more heavily intertwined.

The consumption of both games and porn stimulates several areas of the brain and facilitates the release of dopamine, a neurohormone which aids the transmission of signals around the body and engages the pleasure centre of the brain. The reasoning behind this combination is therefore obvious; sex-driven games light up our brains like a firework display, allowing users to enjoy their love for gaming alongside high levels of pleasure. For many, these online games tick every box.

Why adult performers are abandoning traditional porn in favour of online alternatives.

Over recent years, an increasing number of porn stars and performers have transitioned away from traditional porn sites. With the introduction of personal content subscription service sites, including OnlyFans and ManyVids for example, performers have found greater control over the type of content that they produce and how they produce it. This has given them with the free time to engage with alternative interests, and for many, video games have proven to be a leading fascination; some of the biggest adult performers in the industry have begun live streaming their favourite video games on streaming site Twitch.

Whilst the vast majority of these adult performers still pursue traditional porn as their 9-5, some have undertaken a full transition between porn and gaming industries. Similarly, there are plenty of incredibly popular mainstream Twitch users who have transitioned from live streaming non-adult games to camming, full-fletched adult content creation, adult game streaming, and more. For many, this is a bridge between adult entertainment and gaming that allows them to enjoy greater anonymity and more substantial earnings.

HINT: Read why we picked College Kings 2 as our Porn Game of The month?

What does this spell for the future of the porn industry?

Following the removal of Steam’s pornographic ban, and the success it has seen ever since, it is extremely likely that other mainstream digital marketplaces and websites will follow suit. Whilst traditional porn maintains its taboo label, sex-based interactive games have come on leaps and bounds in the solidification of communal acceptance. In fact, the platform Nutaku hosted the first eSport adults gaming tournament in the autumn of 2018, with the company offering a substantial prize pool of $25,000 USD for competitors - partially funded by an unknown major sponsor. Whilst these games aren’t as large as traditional video games, they have a loyal following, with the sex-based interactive game ‘Subverse’ reaching the top of Steam’s best sellers list in May 2021. There has never been a better time for developers to create high-quality adult games, as the potential for awareness and profitability is at an all-time high.

Porn games typically rely on erotic storytelling and their interactive nature allows users to shape their experience to best fulfil any kinks, desires, and fantasies that they might have. The vast majority of porn games today offer high-quality 3D graphics, smooth animations, and engaging storylines; with this autonomy, adult games are restructuring the adult industry and traditional porn will undoubtedly see a continued decline in popularity.

With the planned development of the Metaverse, Mark Zuckerberg is looking to build a virtual-reality network of 3D worlds, similar to that of popular adult games such as College Kings 2, Second Life, and more. Whilst he has prohibited any sexual content in his conceptualisation of the metaverse, a large number of adult technology developers, porn companies, and more, are already working to create these sexual experiences, with VR adult games skyrocketing in demand and AI sex robots and Bluetooth-based sex toys recently hitting the market. So, whilst the metaverse currently has no plans to facilitate sexual content, its growth will likely inspire further development in this area as the public’s fascination with technology’s evolution continues to lead them down this path.

In a nutshell.

Adult games like College Kings 2 are incredibly popular because they allow users to take control and pro-actively bring their kinkiest fantasies to life. 

Unlike traditional porn, these games do not limit users to the role of onlooker – something which is hugely appealing to today’s consumers who are utterly fascinated with the ongoing evolution of technology. As we move into the future, the intertwining of gaming and adult entertainment will only continue to strengthen; for users, creators, and businesses, there are no limits to the fruitfulness of this. Of course, however, adult games must be created morally and with social responsibility, with these platforms encouraging healthy attitudes towards sex, dating, experimentation, and acceptance.

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