Could getting in the game be as simple as getting off?
Inspired by Nintendo Revolution's innovative design, the video-game industry has given a lot of thought recently to new ways of interacting with games. But a revolution is already underway -- it's somewhat hush-hush and its tools offer more immersive gameplay for players across the globe. No, they're not the offshoots of some top-secret technology: They're video-game sex toys.
The world of sex toys in gaming is small, but it's quickly gaining steam. "Sex is the cheapest immersion you can get," said robotics engineer Kyle Machulis, aka qDot Slashdong, a driving force in the field. "It harnesses people's endorphins."
Machulis thinks introducing sexual stimulation makes a game deeper. "It gives the player an extra bond to the environment that might not have been planned."
These toys attract people from all walks of life. Because game manufacturers seldom endorse players using their products for sex, however, enthusiasts must be creative. Many toys are made by modifying mainstream peripherals; others are normal video-game accessories appropriated for less traditional uses.
Machulis' own mod of the Xbox, the SeXBox, exemplifies how basic alterations can reshape the gaming experience. "Inside most modern video-game controllers are two vibration motors," Machulis said. "All the SeXBox does is use the signals that are going to these motors to also trigger a sex toy." The toy vibrates in unison with the controller, and "this means that any game that makes the controller vibrate is now an environment for sexual exploration."
Other designers take a more retro approach. The folks at Homemade Sex Toys transformed an Atari joystick into a vibrator. People love the Atari vibe, said an anonymous representative. "It's geeky and sexy at the same time."
The Atari could be tweaked so that playing Atari faves would be possible, said Homemade's rep. "I'd suggest Ms. Pac-Man or Donkey Kong, because they're action-packed, or Space Invaders, because it gets faster and faster and then climaxes."
Some gaming sex toys are notorious, like the Rez Trance Vibrator. Designed to augment synaesthetic gameplay, the Trance Vibrator pulses in time with Rez's techno beats. The sexual uses of the small curved box -- immortalized by Game Girl Advance -- are obvious. If the vibe's creators had purer intentions, the world will never know. Sadly, the Trance Vibrator has been taken off the market.
The most popular game-related toys are still the most accessible: simple rumble-packs. In May, Sex Toys Pro featured a list of write-in suggestions from readers who masturbate with their controllers. PS2 peripherals were the most commonly recommended; other systems lagged far behind.
Eric Bezhoff, editor of SexToysPro.com, said using controllers as vibrators is "way way way more common than people might imagine." He also explained how certain high-vibration games pop up repeatedly. "It used to be Metal Gear Solid. Recently there's been lots of talk about Tony Hawk and racing simulators."
The Nintendo Revolution controller may soon rival the popular PS2 controller. Despite its boxy shape, fans have already filled forums with buzz about the peripheral's supposedly toy-like appearance. "Every other controller has been made for ergonomics," said Machulis. "With the Revolution controller there are corners."
Nintendo, too, appears confused by the phenomenon. Perrin Kaplan, vice president of marketing and corporate affairs, said, "Just seeing the words 'Nintendo' and 'sex' in the same sentence made me laugh. Clearly, the two subjects have no connection to each other."
But consumers seem to disagree. Perhaps it's not surprising that the Revolution should be associated with sex toys. After all, other innovative peripherals before it have walked the same thin line between sensory and sensual experience.
The Buttkicker Gamer, for example is a device that, when attached to an office chair, allows players to experience bass as silent vibration not as sound. It has been considered both a straightforward accessory and a potential toy. Mark Luden, Buttkicker's president and CEO, said the product offers "a more immersive experience. If you name a product The Buttkicker, you'd better deliver."
While video-game sex toys are spreading through the industry's underbelly, plenty of developers are working to bring game-related toys into the mainstream. These toys, known as teledildonics, could be packaged with games and would allow players to enjoy interactive, physically stimulating sexual encounters online.
A few such projects, like the Korean 3feel, are making progress. Still, teledildonics has yet to prove itself to the adult toy industry, Machulis said. "People are going to have get used to having sex with machines."
In the meantime, video-game sex toys have their perks. They add a new element of challenge to gaming, suggested Machulis. "Sometimes, though, you find out that losing becomes more fun."