League of Legends

[Kaden]

I'm going to call you out on using a very narrow, incredibly gender-biased set of criteria for making these comparisons, Jarka. The sexualization involves a lot more than just what they wear. Honestly, garb doesn't bother me at all as long as there's a consistent visual aesthetic. Not really the point, but I'll get to that.

Cass didn't make your list and she is, far and away, the most sexualized character in the game (followed fairly closely by MF and Eve). She's naked except for a bra (if you want to call it that) and belt. All of her animations are designed to be done in as seductive a manner as possible (her auto-attack is a snake coiling off a casually out-stretched arm). Her voice actress also fits the profile, so to speak. This was actually a case of Riot being very smart about their sexualization. My point, though, is that she doesn't make the cut because... she doesn't have legs?

Sexualization is about more than just the design of their clothes. Soraka is on there for all of her skins and she is, possibly, the least sexual goddess ever. Yeah, she's rocking some side-boob, but... that seems like a very petty "complaint." The obvious response to that is "well that's just because sexualization has become so common-place" and, to an extent, I agree. I would argue, though, that she's a case of creating a consistent aesthetic and not a case of just trying to flaunt skin.

This quickly turns into a very chicken-or-the-egg argument. Would the females have so much cleavage if it wasn't "expected" of video games? Maybe, maybe not. Should it be ok that that's not a question most people would think to ask? Probably not, but that's a societal standard that extends so far beyond video games that blaming one game of doing it is... borderline ridiculous.

The gender comment is because the oversexualization of males is less blatant, but no less important. Jarvan the fourth is a great example. He has a six pack through his armor and no one bats an eyelash. Are you kidding me? That's ridiculous. People would rather complain that there are too many boobs. Sure. I get that, but not even acknowledging that it goes beyond women is... insulting. (No, Jarka is absolutely not the only person that has even done this and I am not talking about her, specifically.) Look at Jarvan's "commando" skin. His biceps are roughly the size of his waist. It's insane.

Of course there's the obvious Pantheon example, but that's already come up. Graves isn't on your list, but I'd argue he's in that category of sexualized males. Pumped up egos running around pumping their guns and not afraiding of anything. Twisted Fate is in the same boat for me. He's like a male version of Cass.

My point is that sexualization extends far beyond artistic representation. Does that mean the art teams doesn't just pander sometimes? I think we all know the answer to that. Does that mean, though, that every character showing their midriff is just a sex symbol? I really don't think so. I have to apologize about calling Soraka the least sexy character ever; I just scrolled up and saw the cut-out of Karma. She... yeah... is showing her stomach, but it's not at all sexual. I think you're just looking for a way to show how over-sexualizaed females are instead of looking at how over-sexualizaed video games are. I guess that's fine, but... *shrug*

If, at some point, you actually mentioned that all you were looking at was the art, then I missed it. It looked like an argument for sex backed by the art, as opposed to just talking about the sex itself.

[John Doe]

The only thing we need to take away from this conversation is that we need more topless Gragas skins.

[Mr. Zhu]

The only thing we need to take away from this conversation is that we need more topless Gragas skins.

Yes.

[Tyr]

Reading this thread made me wonder if I would ever have sex with a sexualized snake.

[Josh]

I am going to agree with Jarka on this one, initially I used to think people were over exaggerating. But when you go back and look at the champion list, and the skins, you quickly come to realize that you can count on your hands the number of non-overtly sexual female characters.

Poppy, Tristana, Soraka, Annie, Karma, Anivia

Every other female character is big-breasted, narrow waist, wide hips. And that's not entirely bad on it's own, I'm sure many girls want to play characters like that, just as much as guys want to be the buff and ruggedly good looking Garen. The problem is that those characters are also overly sexualized. Kayle used to be heavily armored until the Judgement Kayle skin which was essentially a skin tight cat suit with some armored shoulder pads.

Skins also tend towards more sexually charged versions of female characters, Officer Caitlyn, Valentine Vayne, Pussy Cat Katarina, Nurse Akali, etc.

I'm sure that female characters would be less offended by the perfect figured female characters if there were more like Leona, and Artic Warfare Caitlyn, and Redeemed Riven. As well as more non-human or less overtly sexy female characters, like a female Cho'gath, Gragas, Shaco, etc.

[Tyr]

I am going to agree with Jarka on this one, initially I used to think people were over exaggerating. But when you go back and look at the champion list, and the skins, you quickly come to realize that you can count on your hands the number of non-overtly sexual female characters.

Poppy, Tristana, Soraka, Annie, Karma, Anivia

Every other female character is big-breasted, narrow waist, wide hips. And that's not entirely bad on it's own, I'm sure many girls want to play characters like that, just as much as guys want to be the buff and ruggedly good looking Garen. The problem is that those characters are also overly sexualized. Kayle used to be heavily armored until the Judgement Kayle skin which was essentially a skin tight cat suit with some armored shoulder pads.

Skins also tend towards more sexually charged versions of female characters, Officer Caitlyn, Valentine Vayne, Pussy Cat Katarina, Nurse Akali, etc.

I'm sure that female characters would be less offended by the perfect figured female characters if there were more like Leona, and Artic Warfare Caitlyn, and Redeemed Riven. As well as more non-human or less overtly sexy female characters, like a female Cho'gath, Gragas, Shaco, etc.

You do realize Soraka is naked under that one piece of cloth with a big bosom, right? Replace her with Lux instead, she's probably one of the less sexualized characters in the game. Also Irelia, Orianna, Sejuani and possibly Shyvana.

I doubt they will do cross-gender skins because certain other MOBAs got some pretty heavy flak for doing it, because it essentially sexualized male characters into sexy female ones. It doesn't really fit well with Riot's image anyway.

I honestly don't mind if they sexualize skins. It's people choice to buy them so you can always take the skins with smaller amounts of sex appeal involved and look at them yourself.

[Anzekay]

tl;dr sex sells, riot makes money from skins, so they make skins that sell.

Done.

It sucks for those of us who'd like to see more skins that are practical rather than sexual, but that's just how it goes. I'll take solace with my Redeemed riven and BATTLE LEONA skins.

[Vad]

New Vayne skin is yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesssss.

[Kaden]

I am going to agree with Jarka on this one

I... don't think you understood what I was saying, then. There isn't really a side to take, here.

I agree with Jarka that females are over-sexualized. The only thing I don't agree with was how she used a very gender-biased set of criteria to make the claim that females are more over-sexualized than males.

My post was that the game is simply over-sexualized across the board. Trying to make this claim that it's only the females that get that kind of treatment creates the desensitization towards male sexualization that she's trying to point out for females. It's only productive insofar as it shifts a perceived inequity from one gender to another. It's not blatant and I don't think it's intentional, but it's there.

It should be looked at across the board, not with an eye just towards one specific area.

[Mr. Zhu]

That being said, I still love Pantheon speedos + abs.

[Vad]

I saw Pussy Cat Katarina mentioned in here somewhere as well. She can purr for me any day.

[Ashe]

I saw Gragas 3 times in that picture.

[Kaden]

I saw Gragas 3 times in that picture.

Which was one of my points in response to Jarka. Her criteria for too sexiness were... skewed.

[Belle Hibiki]

Where is the female Urgot? The female Mundo? The female Cho'gath?

Sure, there are characters of both genders that are obviously designed to be sexy/appealing, but there are also obviously others that are downright horrifying eldritch nightmares, and those characters are almost universally male (looking at base skins, anyway).

[Rafael]

Teemo shows skin in the listed area. Sexy, sexy Teemo

[Piper Juunanagou]

Heimerdinger is clearly the sexiest.

Dem glasses and dat fro.

Make my knees like butter.

[John Doe]

Heimerdinger is clearly the sexiest.

Dem glasses and dat fro.

Make my knees like butter.

Bitches love heat seeking missiles.

[Super Buu]

Related: http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-8-stupid...ns-sexism/

[Vad]

Why the fuck do we have to continue the god damn topic. It's so fucking annoying. Let me drink my vodka in peace god dammit. Stop circling back to this stupid and utterly pointless discussion. This isn't a national debate forum. It's not going to change anything about society. You have nothing to prove to anyone here. Please. It's an anathema to this thread.

*tosses glass at wall*

So yeah. I'm thinking about re installing League of Legends. Considering I've spent money on the game I can't shake the feeling of wanting to slam my face into the keyboard for having abandoned it completely.

[Rafael]

Dudes like tits. Companies like dudes giving them money. Boom. On a different yet mildly related topic, Fiora looks incrediboring, but she is mostly covered. Smooth animations though, kinda cool how the new champs are evolving compared to old.