[Slightly OT] Does sex really sell RPGs?

[Fred Delles]

We've been having this massive argument over Avalanche Press's recent actions and one of the points some of the "boycotters" mentioned is the scantily-clad women on the covers of the D20 games that Avalanche greatly expresses. Which, by the way, has NO CONNECTION WHATSOEVER to the game, much less the historical era, itself.

My point is, does sex sell RPGs? Does it do a great job in covering up what would otherwise be a bad product? Not that Avalanche Press is bad in its content per se (it's all your opinion), but I end up lowering my standard on what they put in the book and probably giving a slightly lower review for something that is fairly good. If something is somewhere between a 3 and a 4 (of 5), if the cover has an unrelated, near-naked woman, I'd give it a 3 instead of a hopeful 4. A lot of recent covers for RPGs (video game, pencil-and-paper, or tabletop) don't try anything so tawdry.

Will a scantily-clad drow priestess in a suggestive pose, expressing herself fully right in front of some background, with NO CONNECTION to the game itself, make you buy a third-party version of "City of the Spider Queen" or the like? A well-armored, but still decent-looking, woman would do better, but it would look best if the cover gave a general feel of the place.

I'm guessing it isn't, and would offend some of the women gamers and would-be women gamers. In addition, there are people who would lower their standards after just seeing the cover (art's bad, so the content's bad; or, it NEEDS a near-naked chick to sell, to the content is bad). And Joe Average, even if he began D&D, would just grab some magazine for half price instead. Those companies would be shooting themselves in the foot, especially during a time when many, many RPG makers are hurting because of both the economy and the d20 glut.

I have my Playboys, Maxims, Penthouses, and Heavy Metals. To put unrelated, scantily-clad women on the covers of some would be redundant at best and ridiculous at worst.

 

[Crothian]

Not even when I was 12. I do have some of Avalanche's books but that's because I was really interested in getting info on the Norse and Atlantis. For me the covers are a non issue. I'm not someone who is impressed by good art or one that turns away becasue of bad art. I want content, that's what's really impoirtant to me.

 

[Privateer]

No, in my opinion sex doesn't sell RPGs. It deters younger players (like, *ahem*, my friends and I) and it can be hard to explain to my mother and Eric's grandmother. Pointless, scantily-clad women detract from the artistic value of the cover, and, IMHO, a woman in a good, functional suit of full plate is sexier than an irrationally dressed, anorexic drow any day.

 

[Zaruthustran]

er, "yes"

Well the short answer is, yes, sex sells.

Doesn't matter what the product is--depict it with a beautiful woman, and men and women respond. Check out all those bottled water adverts, where the model has her head tilted back, with an upturned bottle of water in the foreground gushing its contents into her open mouth. There's a reason the ad company used that image. The reason is sales.

Same goes for Maxim vs. GQ or Men's Health. GQ was the leading mens magazine, then Maxim came along. Now, even GQ and Men's Health feature babes on the cover. Or stunning, half-naked guys.

Doesn't mean you have to like it or that you have to fall victim to it. I'd be curious to see the sales impact of a sexy cover for a niche product like an RPG.

-z

 

[Sulimo]

It certainly doesnt get me to buy a product, especially these days when RPG products arent exactly cheap. It might get me to leaf through a product though. I like that style of art though...or at least some..people like Boris, Julie Bell & Luis Royo.

Take the Avalanche books for example. Whilst the covers might get me to look over their books, there is nowhere near the amount of depth required for me to consider buying them. They should be at least 150 pages each, rather than the tiny books that actually come out. Thats why I've never even considered buying one.

Content is what matters to me, not style. Thats why I'm not terribly happy about the movement to high-cost full colour, hardcover products. I'd be happier buying products that were soft-cover, B&W and relatively art free if it meant that they cost substantially less.

 

[Tsyr]

For me? No. I own a single Avalanch product, will probably never buy another one, and frankly would be just as happy if the cover was blank. While it may be sexy and all, I'd much rather it has something... oh... even VAUGLY to do with the topic at hand. The cover for my book has NOTHING at ALL even REMOTELY related to the topic it covers, except for having a JAPANESE sword in her hand on a book that is supposed to be about mythic CHINA.

*shrug*

 

[Fred Delles]

Re: er, "yes"

Doesn't mean you have to like it or that you have to fall victim to it. I'd be curious to see the sales impact of a sexy cover for a niche product like an RPG.

-z

I just want to note that magazines like Maxim have other women in the magazine, as well as more shots of that cover girl as well. Their purpose is that they are supposed to be men's magazines - and men very often think about naked or near-naked chicks. For fitness, isn't one of the main purposes of fitness is to get a sexy body? Hence, the muscleman and/or sexy, well-fit woman on the cover, and more of both in the magazine as well. In Heavy Metal, there is quite a bit of nudity in their stories.

But then there's Avalanche. There is NO SEX WHATSOEVER in a historical fantasy. So stop it already, AP.


Ok, my reply.

As for me, I think (remember, I'm only thinking) that it doesn't help at all. Probably hurt (based on my hypotheses in the initial post) it as well.

I'm guessing that Avalanche Press is egging the "bad" reviewers because their sales of d20 products (not sure about their historical war games) are sucking pretty bad, and that if they have any bad reviews, it would suck even worse. My guess is that the scantily-clad women are there just to sell something that is bad, but it seems that it makes people feel ripped off ("Hey, what's with that woman?"), and give a lower opinion of an otherwise decent product.

Of course, some honestly like such books (good for them), but those covers put the content to a lower standard, and most consumers can see beyond the "mascot" barely covering her privates. So, sex does not sell RPGs.

Anyone is open to correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Buttercup]

When I see an RPG book with a nearly naked woman on the cover I'm far less likely to purchase the book. Why? Because the cover sends me a message that the publishers don't really want my business. To them, women are merely attractive objects.

 

[Dragongirl]

Does sex sell? In general yes. I find it unfortunate when people try to make a product sell more by added something sexual about it. Just look at the videos that a lot of singers do now adays (male as well as female). But to get back on topic with RPGs. I don't think that blatently sexual covers or interior art helps make a sale for a publisher. I do however, believe that it may help get some people to take notice of it and perhaps be more likely to pick it up to see if they want what the book covers.

This also has the opposite effect on straight people of the same sex as that portrayed on the cover. I have a feeling that if covers started having almost nude men (talking slim, attractive men here not Conans) that it would make some male buyers not care to even look at the book. I remember a letter in Dragon magazine recently where someone was complaining about a cover with a mostly nude man on it, and saying that he couldn't even pick it up and take it to the counter because he felt wrong about it.

As a woman, and an outspoken one at that I won't buy a product that I feel degrades women on their cover. Perhaps it is unfair that I am not as outspoken when the art is internal, such as the comics in Dragon magazine, but internal art doesn't need to be seen all the time. Covers are seen every time you pick up the book. Starting to ramble, so I will close for now.

 

[tarchon]

Those scantily clad women on the cover don't affect my decision whether to purchase it at all.

Now if they were naked...