If you are in gamer communities like mine, you have definitely heard the term “gooner” thrown around when people talk about game designs, especially for female characters. For those who do not know, what makes a game a “gooner” is a design that is highly scandalous. In other words, something the audience can get off to.
What Makes A Game “Gooner”
Many games have female characters in revealing clothing. For example, in the open shooter game Marvel Rivals, Thor and his sister Angela are both in armor, but Angela has a lot more skin showing. To be honest, I would not call her outfit armor. She is basically in a metal bra and a brown tactical skirt—one that barely covers anything. This is compared to Thor who is fully covered. But Marvel Rivals does not stop at the women; during the summer, they release summer skins for male characters as well. They had characters like the Punisher and Spider-Man in Speedos. Men can also be gooner bait, but it’s mainly women who are sexualized in video games.
Are the Games Weird?
Depends on the person. Some people do not like the games because the sexually explicit designs make them uncomfortable. That is completely okay; not everyone wants to see a character in a very revealing outfit. But if the game has other aspects, like a good story or mechanics that make the game fun, that is all that should matter. Unfortunately, games have always sexualized women and it sells, but it does not make it okay. In the hit The Legend of Zelda games, the series of characters called the Great Fairies wear bikinis and show cleavage, but their appearance is never the main point of the games. I think the story is amazing.
Do I play “gooner” Games
I am not, well, maybe a little, afraid to admit that I do. I do not play them because of the sexual designs; I do not care if the designs have sex appeal. I play for the story and if the game is fun. One “gooner” game I play is Genshin Impact, an open-world adventure where, in the story, you either pick to play as Lumine or Aether. I picked Lumine to explore the world of Teyvat after being separated by an unknown god. I like the open world, the traveling, and I will admit that I do like the gacha system, even when I get bad pulls. Genshin Impact does sexualize the female characters. They are often exposed, but I do not care. As long as the game is fun, I do not care what the character looks like.
Conclusion
Video games have been sexual for a long time. So, if we use the logic that if you play a game with sexual designs, everyone would be considered weird. Do not let anyone make you feel bad for what games you play. You are allowed to have fun. Be yourself.