I generally think that pearl-clutching over Internet porn is nothing more than fuddy-duddy hysteria, but this… this just takes the uncanny valley cake. According to Rocket News 24, one “resourceful” Internet user has taken it upon himself to MacGyver a boob-grabbing game using an Oculus Rift, a novelty mouse pad, and a lady apparently animated to appear non-consenting. Sigh. Boobs trump “women are hard to animate,” I guess.
According to Rocket News 24, a video of the game was posted on Japanese video-sharing site NicoNico Douga by user Ryuto (the game was also available for demo use this Sunday at OcuFes in Nagoya).
You can watch another, currently-unembeddable video of the game over at Rocket News, but here’s their description of that clip’s most troubling aspect:
So, as you can see, the device is fairly simple–the user puts on the Oculus Rift, which provides a 3-D scene and an animated girl, and then reaches out to cop a feel. Upon squeezing the breasts–which are actually foam from a novelty mouse pad–the girl squeals with shock, covers her chest with her arms, and turns her eyes to the ground. Which leaves us wondering: If you could program anything for this simulator, why would you make the girl dislike having her breasts squeezed?!
It might seem like a tempest in a titpot to be concerned over a single game demo invented by what I hypothesize is an extremely lonely Internet user, but as virtual reality becomes more mainstream, so will the potential for “3D porn” and a consequent need to discuss the ethics therein. No matter how down I am for responsible and critical consumption of adult entertainment, the development of a game that not only trivializes sexual harassment but trains users that “no” actually means “go” is extremely disconcerting–especially considering the ingrained misogyny already apparent in gamer culture.
This kind of gross co-option of Oculus Rift is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean concerned Internet users can’t fight fire with fire. I’m breaking ground on the Cock Blockulus Rift right now, everyone. Come on over and use my novelty mousepad to take out frustration on anyone who has ever mistaken you as an object designed purely for their grubby basement desire.
(via LazyGamer and tipster Cheryl)
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