Games that objectify men in a manner that is satisfying to you as a woman/man...

SuzanoSho · Jun 26, 2018

Do these exist? I've often seen people get on the defensive in threads about the objectification of women in video games and, in certain cases, claim that male objectification also exists in those games...

While I could see that being the case SOME of the time, I, as a straight guy, have a hard time thinking that those aforementioned cases are what people who are genuinely attracted to men find "sexy" or exploitative, rather than what a straight man/gay woman might THINK is sexy to those who find men attractive...

Being a guy that personally wouldn't be bothered at all playing a game like Danteyonetta, I was just curious if there are games that you all personally feel got the "male objectification" part right...

If this thread has already been done or discussed elsewhere, please delete and send money to my PayPal account as punishment...

EDIT:

Morrigan said:
Let us note that having attractive-looking characters is not the same thing as objectifying them.

RM8 said:
I'm going to echo the sentiment that attractive =/= objectified. Think gratuitous nudity, dumb revealing outfits, pervy camera angles and similar stuff.

I want this to be clear. I mean where they are actually OBJECTIFIED. While I know definitions tend to have ranges these days, I think it would help if, along with your post, you tell us why or what part makes you think the game actually degrades the male character to nothing more than an object of sexual desire, if even for a moment...

Ahasverus · Jun 26, 2018

The Igarashi era of Castlevania was a hit with women due to the Ayami Kojima shonen art. Every protagonist looked like a beautiful male angel.

Also while not personally attracted but I've seen 9S been fetishised by both women and men on the internet.

UltimateTrainer · Jun 26, 2018

Yakuza. I was playing 5 tonight and one of the playable characters took his shirt off to fight and he didn't even have a Yakuza tat and just showed it off to display his hard work keeping in shape for baseball.

Weiss · Jun 26, 2018

Can't think of any. The rare male nudity like Raiden in MGS2 or Dante in DmC are largely played for laughs more than titillation.

Like I guess some of Chris Redfield's alternate costumes like the sailor or Mad Max looking dude could be fanservice, but honestly I just see game devs slapping their knees as they chortle that "they made Chris look unmasculine."

Don Fluffles · Jun 26, 2018

Raiden in MGS2.

Morrigan · Jun 26, 2018

I can scarcely think of any example of men being objectified in games in similar ways that women are, to be honest.

Let us note that having attractive-looking characters is not the same thing as objectifying them. In other words:

Ahasverus said:
The Igarashi era of Castlevania was a hit with women due to the Ayami Kojima shonen art. Every protagonist looked like a beautiful male angel.

Also while not personally attracted but I've seen 9S been fetishised by both women and men on the internet.

Nope. Alucard etc. might be "bishonen" and popular with female players, but he's not remotely objectified.

RM8 · Jun 26, 2018

Hmmm... DmC Dante is pretty hot for a bunch of polygons. The intro felt rather pandering too, with him being completely naked and showing off his body for no good reason. And what do you know - a lot of people hated him, lol.

But that's it, I don't think there's a male Quiet in gaming. And that's okay, we don't need that.

enkaisu · Jun 26, 2018

I feel like if any series has a lot of male objectification it would be MGS.

But as a bi dude I'm not really looking for objectification so much as attractive protagonists which is why I play a lot of Japanese games. They got pretty dudes on LOCK. The West just cannot compete, nor does it ever try. The West love their ugly dudes.

Raiden, Snake, Dante, Nero, Link, Shulk, Kiryu, Majima, Leon (RE), Adam and Eve (Nier). I could go on and on.

Big_Erk · Jun 26, 2018

Need I say more?

KillLaCam · Jun 26, 2018

MGS has all the men butts.

JetstreamRorschach · Jun 26, 2018

Ahasverus said:
The Igarashi era of Castlevania was a hit with women due to the Ayami Kojima shonen art. Every protagonist looked like a beautiful male angel.

Also while not personally attracted but I've seen 9S been fetishised by both women and men on the internet.

This. In fact, when I was an inexperienced teen, Ayami Kojima's designs were key to discover that I felt also attracted to people of my own gender. I really, really do love Kojima's designs.

Cinemikel · Jun 26, 2018

Edit: Didnt know this was so serious

Morrigan · Jun 26, 2018

Big_Erk said:
Need I say more?

Please don't troll.

Mesoian · Jun 26, 2018

There aren't any.

Literally, there has never been a male video game character that has the camera lovingly follow the bodylines of their body in a sensual way for the entire game.

A guy being shirtless or even a single sexy shower moment is fine, but unlike their female counterparts, there has never, NEVER, been a male character who has 80% of the run time of a game with the camera ogling them as if they were a sexual object.

0.

Dynamite Cop · Jun 26, 2018

I'm a straight guy, but I happily played Muscle March in front of my girlfriend. That game is mesmerizing as hell.

RM8 · Jun 26, 2018

I'm going to echo the sentiment that attractive =/= objectified. Think gratuitous nudity, dumb revealing outfits, pervy camera angles and similar stuff.

Bran Van · Jun 26, 2018

Geralt in Witcher 3 was oiled up like a Scotsman any time his shirt came off

Mesoian · Jun 26, 2018

Dynamite Cop said:
I'm a straight guy, but I happily played Muscle March in front of my girlfriend. That game is mesmerizing as hell.

I wouldn't count Muscle March as that entire series is some sort of fever dream joke.

I just don't know who the punchline is for.

Platy · Jun 26, 2018

there are so few games that even CONSIDER the female gaze ... like Dream Dad is totaly oogle those men but they are not even close to being objectified

Mesoian · Jun 26, 2018

Platy said:
there are so few games that even CONSIDER the female gaze ... like Dream Dad is totaly oogle those men but they are not even close to being objectified

Yeah I'd have to say you'd have to go DEEP into Otome territory to even come close, and even then, those are usually restricted to stills.

enkaisu · Jun 26, 2018

Also I'd like to add that I wouldn't be against male characters being objectified the same way female characters are, which is why I largely have 0 issue with fanservice outfits, sexualized designs, etc. I'd rather advocate for that stuff being spread out more than get mad anytime a DOA game comes out.

Dynamite Cop · Jun 26, 2018

Mesoian said:
I wouldn't count Muscle March as that entire series is some sort of fever dream joke.

I just don't know who the punchline is for.

Muscle March was a single game released on Wii. You might be thinking of the Cho Aniki shmup series.

Ahasverus · Jun 26, 2018

JetstreamRorschach said:
This. In fact, when I was an inexperienced teen, Ayami Kojima's designs were key to discover that I felt also attracted to people of my own gender. I really, really do love Kojima's designs.

Umm can relate. Brofist?

Arkage · Jun 26, 2018

Better define objectification first. Is an idealized body with little to no personality enough? Or do we need crotch shots?

Also, Genital Jousting. It's objectification to the point of just being a bunch of penises penetrating each other.

ToTheMoon · Jun 26, 2018

El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron

And the opening cutscene of DmC I guess, though there isn't really anything after that (I would have loved a shirtless costume).

Mesoian · Jun 26, 2018

Dynamite Cop said:
Muscle March was a single game released on Wii. You might be thinking of the Cho Aniki shmup series.

Isn't Muscle March a Cho Aniki spin off?

Arkage said:
Better define objectification first. Is an idealized body with little to no personality enough? Or do we need crotch shots?

I'm mean, we're comparing to female objectification so...compare to what you know to be true.

Opa-Pa · Jun 26, 2018

Ahasverus said:
The Igarashi era of Castlevania was a hit with women due to the Ayami Kojima shonen art. Every protagonist looked like a beautiful male angel.

Also while not personally attracted but I've seen 9S been fetishised by both women and men on the internet.

Objectifying means that they're treated as sex objects. Igavania characters are just handsome in a less traditionally masculine way.

Platy · Jun 26, 2018

enkaisu said:
Also I'd like to add that I wouldn't be against male characters being objectified the same way female characters are, which is why I largely have 0 issue with fanservice outfits, sexualized designs, etc. I'd rather advocate for that stuff being spread out more than get mad anytime a DOA game comes out.

The problem is that so we reach a place where "1 metal speedo = 1 metal bikini" we need first like a full generation of metal speedo where women get pratical armor

And the DoA and Dragon's Crown go for the Slingbag Speedo AT LEAST

brainchild · Jun 26, 2018

Mesoian said:
There aren't any.

Literally, there has never been a male video game character that has the camera lovingly follow the bodylines of their body in a sensual way for the entire game.

A guy being shirtless or even a single sexy shower moment is fine, but unlike their female counterparts, there has never, NEVER, been a male character who has 80% of the run time of a game with the camera ogling them as if they were a sexual object.

0.

I think DmC Dante is an exception. I distinctly remember how distracting it was that the camera focused on his physique in lewd ways on multiple occasions. I mean, it doesn't help that he's pretty fucking hot (for a video game character), but I honestly feel like he was at least sexualized, if not objectified throughout the entire game.

NHarmonic. · Jun 26, 2018

Mesoian said:
There aren't any.

Literally, there has never been a male video game character that has the camera lovingly follow the bodylines of their body in a sensual way for the entire game.

A guy being shirtless or even a single sexy shower moment is fine, but unlike their female counterparts, there has never, NEVER, been a male character who has 80% of the run time of a game with the camera ogling them as if they were a sexual object.

0.

Instead, men get Xenoblade Chronicles 2, were you basically tame and "use" girls with massive breasts and asses and the camera loves to focus on those aspects of their characters, just to name a recent example.

Phendrift · Jun 26, 2018

Damn, I just watched the DmC intro..... might have to play that game lol

I wouldn't mind at ALL if Nero got some of that treatment for DMC5. He really glowed up

JetstreamRorschach · Jun 26, 2018

Ahasverus said:
Umm can relate. Brofist?

Dynamite Cop · Jun 26, 2018

Mesoian said:
Isn't Muscle March a Cho Aniki spin off?

I'm mean, we're comparing to female objectification so...compare to what you know to be true.

Research is easy with the power of the internet.

brainchild · Jun 26, 2018

Phendrift said:
Damn, I just watched the DmC intro..... might have to play that game lol

Please do! It's aces!

Mesoian · Jun 26, 2018

brainchild said:
I think DmC Dante is an exception. I distinctly remember how distracting it was that the camera focued on his physique in lewd ways on multiple occasions. I mean, it doesn't help that he's pretty fucking hot (for a video game character), but I honestly feel like he was at least sexualized, if not objectified.

I'd say he was only truly sexualized in 3 and even then it was for only the opening scene. Unless you wanna talk about DmC, which is still also only 1 scene. If anything, I'd say his attractiveness is played more for laughs than any sort of sexual gaze.

Dynamite Cop said:
Research is easy with the power of the internet.

Ah my apologies, I got muscle March and Cho Aniki: Muscle Brothers confused.

You can see how easy that would be considering they're both basically doing the same thing.

NHarmonic. said:
Instead, men get Xenoblade Chronicles 2, were you basically tame and "use" girls with massive breasts and asses and the camera loves to focus on those aspects of their characters, just to name a recent example.

Yup. Even the upcoming Boyfriend Dungeon, a game you'd think would do the same, doesn't go as far as AAA titles when it comes to male objectification.

There answer is, there are none.

Arkage · Jun 26, 2018

http://widgetau.org/male-sexualization-in-video-games/

This seems like a pretty interesting read with examples and references.

brainchild · Jun 26, 2018

Mesoian said:
I'd say he was only truly sexualized in 3 and even then it was for only the opening scene. Unless you wanna talk about DmC, which is still also only 1 scene. If anything, I'd say his attractiveness is played more for laughs than any sort of sexual gaze.

Obviously this sort of thing is up for interpretation, but that wasn't my take during my playthrough. Sure, he's not constantly bereft of clothing throughout the game, but the framing of a lot of the cutscenes has some gratuitous leanings towards sexualization, imo.

Mesoian · Jun 26, 2018

Arkage said:
http://widgetau.org/male-sexualization-in-video-games/

This seems like a pretty interesting read with examples and references.

I stopped at Voldo.

Please stop using Voldo, a character who's sexuality is meant to unnerve and horrify, as an example of something women are supposed to find sexually pleasing.

enkaisu · Jun 26, 2018

Mesoian said:
I stopped at Voldo.

Please stop using Voldo, a character who's sexuality is meant to unnerve and horrify, as an example of something women are supposed to find sexually pleasing.

Yeah Voldo sucks and isn't sexy in any way at all.

Maxi fights with his abs and arms exposed which is pretty nice though.

Rickenslacker · Jun 26, 2018

Mesoian said:
I stopped at Voldo.

Please stop using Voldo, a character who's sexuality is meant to unnerve and horrify, as an example of something women are supposed to find sexually pleasing.

I think reading the whole thing is important and the points that are brought up, not just thinking it's saying "Voldo is in skimpy clothing and is therefore being presented as sexually attractive".

Reven Wolf · Jun 26, 2018

Would a JoJo's bizzare adventure fit?

SuzanoSho · Jun 26, 2018

Arkage said:
Better define objectification first. Is an idealized body with little to no personality enough? Or do we need crotch shots?

Also, Genital Jousting. It's objectification to the point of just being a bunch of penises penetrating each other.

I'm gonna Google this in a bit, but I fully expect it to be EXACTLY what you said it is...

brainchild said:
I think DmC Dante is an exception. I distinctly remember how distracting it was that the camera focused on his physique in lewd ways on multiple occasions. I mean, it doesn't help that he's pretty fucking hot (for a video game character), but I honestly feel like he was at least sexualized, if not objectified throughout the entire game.

Phendrift said:
Damn, I just watched the DmC intro..... might have to play that game lol

I wouldn't mind at ALL if Nero got some of that treatment for DMC5. He really glowed up

Hmm...I remember the first scene in DmC, but it honestly never struck me as a vehicle to objectify Dante more than just a cool, "edgy" action scene with some sexual nods in it...I CAN see how someone would probably find it a little teasing, tho...

Dynamite Cop said:
I'm a straight guy, but I happily played Muscle March in front of my girlfriend. That game is mesmerizing as hell.

This is my first time seeing anything about this game and this screenshot was just so laughably confusing to me, because I assumed that this was gameplay lol...

Giever · Jun 26, 2018

I would definitely say that one DmC scene applies. Maybe there's more but I didn't play far into the game. I wish there was more male objectification in games, tbh. It's fun to indulge a bit.

Morrigan · Jun 26, 2018

Mesoian said:
I stopped at Voldo.

LOL. Thanks for saving me the click.

brainchild · Jun 26, 2018

Arkage said:
http://widgetau.org/male-sexualization-in-video-games/

This seems like a pretty interesting read with examples and references.

I agree. Interesting indeed. Even with the Voldo example, he's noted for objectification (especially with respect to gay male fetishism).

Mesoian said:
I stopped at Voldo.

Please stop using Voldo, a character who's sexuality is meant to unnerve and horrify, as an example of something women are supposed to find sexually pleasing.

I thought their explanation was well reasoned. He's not a sex idol, he's a sex object, and that can come in many different flavors for objectification (not just sexually pleasing).

Arkage · Jun 26, 2018

Mesoian said:
I stopped at Voldo.

Please stop using Voldo, a character who's sexuality is meant to unnerve and horrify, as an example of something women are supposed to find sexually pleasing.

I mean a woman wrote it this paper to begin with, and bases it off of physical characteristics and theories that she researched on sexualization. If Voldo was actually a woman gender with boobs included it wouldn't matter how much you talked about it being unnerving or horrifying. Apologists for that crap game Agony said the same thing in that the female demon was supposed to be unnerving and horrifying yet there were plenty in there saying it was still female objectification.

CannonFodder52 · Jun 26, 2018

I don't think I've played any.

noyram23 · Jun 26, 2018

DmC from what I can remember, made my gf legit 'Oh...' during those semi-nude scene at the start

RM8 · Jun 26, 2018

brainchild said:
I agree. Interesting indeed. Even with the Voldo example, he's noted for objectification (especially with respect to gay male fetishism).

I thought their explanation was well reasoned. He's not a sex idol, he's a sex object, and that can come in many different flavors for objectification (not just sexually pleasing).

As a gay man, lol Voldo. How come Ivy is not a grotesque monster and is instead a huge tittied sex doll? These "different flavors" for objectification only apply to men, apparently.

litebrite · Jun 26, 2018

Mesoian said:
There aren't any.

Literally, there has never been a male video game character that has the camera lovingly follow the bodylines of their body in a sensual way for the entire game.

A guy being shirtless or even a single sexy shower moment is fine, but unlike their female counterparts, there has never, NEVER, been a male character who has 80% of the run time of a game with the camera ogling them as if they were a sexual object.

0.

This is my take. I'm currently playing Final Fantasy XV, and I've never seen a male character, especially one with a serious occupation as a mechanic, dressed in the way Cindy is dressed and framed in the camera the way she is. The weird part about it is how she's dressed and framed doesn't even fit her personality, yet alone her occupation.

Games that objectify men in a manner that is satisfying to you as a woman/man...

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