[just a guy]

Hey everyone. New to the forums but I have lurked a bit the past few months.

Anyways to start off my first post I'm going to ask a question that I really cannot find a truly clear cut answer for or from what I have read they really don't feel like the right answer to me at all.

Anyways as stated on the topic: What makes a "true" adult game? Since I keep hearing/reading that bloodandgore/sex/nudity/swearing does not equal adult but it's actually equals a game made for teenagers( which I'll admit it doesn't make sense to me cause otherwise we might as well have games like Gears of War or God of War rated 'teen' then or have most horror movies like friday the 13th be rated PG-13 and not R.)

I was wondering from you good people what makes a "true" adult game and should such a game omit gore/sex/nudity/swearing in order for it to not fall into the "this game is for teenagers" catagorey.

If you want to hear my opinion, just ask away.(sorry in adavce for any spelling and grammar errors I missed)

If this is in the wrong forum(Not off-topic?) Can any mod move it to the right sopt for me. Thanks. Plus I will be posting this on other indie forums.

I think this is an important question for all game Devs to ask So sorry if it's redundant if you see it in other areas. And I promise I'll make an effort to post in other topics too.

[Nodtveidt]

As an adult game developer myself, I can tell you that there are two major "versions" of adult games: sex-centered games, and games featuring adult themes. These are not necessarily exclusive of each other, but one does not always equal the other. Any game can feature nudity, and what is considered "sex" by society is nothing compared to a true adult sex-based game. Games featuring realistic sexual situations are NOT games for teens...games featuring dippy bimbos showing off their panties are considered sexual to society but are not adult games so they would be more like a teenage game.

Adult themes...this one's not so cut and dry. Basically, this encompasses anything that a normal adult would have to be concerned with or might normally deal with in "real life". Obviously this would include sexual situations, but it doesn't mean all adult games of this nature feature sex. Adult games of this nature are very often realistic simulations of various types and are not usually mainstream. Unfortunately, I cannot think of a practical example off of the top of my head.

The GTA series is probably as close as mainstream has gotten to a true adult game. Virtual girlfriend simulations usually come close as well, though they generally fall short.

The reason why you've found it hard to find a clear cut answer is because everyone's opinion of "adult game" is gonna be different based on their own prejudices.
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If you play a Microsoft CD backwards you can hear demonic voices. The scary part is that if you play it forwards it installs Windows. - wallace

[tcaudilllg]

Adult themes deal with things like suicide, war, and romance. Though it's mostly a catch-all for stuff that people think kids shouldn't necessarily be exposed to.

[Rainer Deyke]

"Adult" is a label for games that are (for some reason or another) inappropriate for teens and children... and that's all it is. It's not any kind of ideal or genre. There is no such things as a "true" adult game because there's nothing to be true to.

"Adult" doesn't mean intelligent.
"Adult" doesn't mean dark subject matter.
"Adult" doesn't mean mature.
"Adult" doesn't mean sex.
It is possible to write "adult" games that have none of these aspects. It's also possible to write games that have all of these aspects but are still appropriate for teens.

[just a guy]