Game With Male Fanservice Exposes Double Standards On Sexuality

Fanservice within video games has always been a hotly contested topic; however, so is the hypocrisy. There is currently an all-new mobile game called What In The Hell Is Bad, and it exposes many people on the internet for their shallow thinking. The game originally blew up on the internet when some fans were raving about the male fanservice element of the game. People were quick to point out the hypocrisy, as fanservice has been a hotly contested topic for years. Many within the online media space, as well as on the internet, have been waging a war against anything that even remotely resembles an attractive woman.

It was only a few years ago that an entire movement called Gamergate rallied people from all over the internet. While many recognized this movement for exactly what it was, sadly, it did have some effects on the space. Regardless of where you fall on this topic, the sexualization of women in video games remains a big topic of discussion. There are some who feel that women should represent more than only their looks. Others think that women are already fairly represented within games. There is also a group of people who believe fan service is real and perfectly fine. I certainly fall in the ladder camp.

I can admit that sexualization within video games exists, I simply have a hard time finding an issue with it. For this mobile game, in particular, you have men in compromising positions while you, as a player, dish out punishment. These men are extremely attractive, and the punishment is of a clear sexualized nature. As stated, though, it is not the fanservice but rather the fan response that has people upset.

The FanService Hypocrisy

As stated, every week, there are complaints about the objectification of women in video games. There are constant calls for Women to be more realistic. It is worth pointing out that if these women were realistic, it would not be called a video game. On a more serious note, I do understand what these people are calling for. When people say they want more realistic women, they are simply saying that they want them to be less attractive. If you know anything about the entertainment community, you will understand why that is an unrealistic call.

The fact is viewers enjoy watching more attractive people on screen. This is true for both men and women. If you are sexually attracted to a certain sex, by pure definition, you will be sexualizing them. This does not mean unwanted comments and harassment, but you will simply be drawn to entertainment that features more attractive people. As long as those feelings stay within video games and do not lead to you bothering real people, there is no issue. Fanservice works always, and it has been effectively used for decades.

It is not a coincidence that every K-pop star looks like a supermodel. They are extremely attractive because that is what women like. You can tell yourself that you like them because of the music, but we all know it is because of their looks. If there are calls for more realistic women within video games, I think it is about time that men raise up and call for more realistic men within K-pop. We, men, are tired of being sexualized by the female gaze.

Why People Are Freaking Out About Fanservice

It was not so long ago that some were freaking out about games like Skullgirls and Azure Lane. Both these games have been criticized for their portrayal of 2D women. There are, however, many more examples. When it comes to this game in particular, many fans did not stand for the hypocrisy at all. Some were quick to point out that if you are in support of this game, you can never complain about any girl in a skirt again. This is a sentiment that I certainly agree with. I have always been in support of fan service, but it needs to go both ways.

I have never understood the objection against sexualizing women in video games. In the same way, I have never understood the objection against glorifying violence in video games. If you believe that video game violence like GTA or Call of Duty causes real-life violence, then I can at least understand where you are coming from. You would be objectively wrong in your assessment, but I can at least understand your thinking. The same goes for sexualized content. If you believe that attractive women in games cause issues in the real world, I understand your objection. Even though I disagree with your conclusion.

However, you cannot praise the one and be against the other. Your silence on this matter is also a statement. The media has nothing to say about male service, but there would have been a mental breakdown if this game included any women in those types of positions. Just a few weeks ago, they were aggressively against a girl showing a bit of underwear in Skullgirls. I can’t even imagine what they would say if it was women instead of men in What In The Hell Is Bad.

The Hypocrisy Will Never End

When it comes to the issues of fanservice, things will always be contentious. Certain media outlets and online personalities will always have a double standard. They will cry about sexual content in games but will support men making out with bears. Women being used as fanservice is unacceptable, but for men, it is perfectly fine. The arguments for this type of thinking are just as bad. They will excuse men being used this way because they say men hold all the power. Thus, portraying men in such a light has no real-world harm. The way society also looks at men is different, and they will be celebrated for sexual behavior.

However, women are powerless, and thus, portraying them in such a light is extremely harmful. Even in cases where women directors are responsible for sexual content, like in the case of Azure Lane, they will still find excuses. In these cases, they will say that women are forced to do this in order to compete in a male-dominated space. In a real-world workplace, you might have some arguments. However, in the land of 2D and 3D, this thinking does not work. As stated many times before, these are fictional men and women. They are not real. Your argument only works if you believe playing GTA leads to real-world violence.

It only works if you believe that Lara Craft being attractive in Tomb Raider will lead to real-life harassment of women. If that is what you believe, then you are free to do so. However, the evidence is not on your side. People who have it in them to commit violence do not need a video game to do so. Politicians have been trying to make these connections since the 80s with action movies.

Conclusion

Ultimately, people should be free to play whatever they want. I do not see a problem with this game any more than I see a problem with any other game that focuses on Fanservice. Attractive people have been used to sell products for years now, and that won’t ever change. If you do not like it, say your piece and play something else.

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