Does Hot Girl Advertising Enhance Video Game Appeal?

So Need for Speed: The Run will utilize virtual incarnations of Sports Illustrated swimsuit models Irina Shayk and Christine Teigen.

Yeah, the video is bound to catch some attention. Yes, pretty women go along nicely with pretty cars. And it's not like Atlus is hiring swimsuit models to help promote Dark Souls, so the game obviously needs a legitimate excuse to go the hot-girl incentive route. But the question is, does it even work? Will gamers be more inclined to pick up The Run because of the inclusion of those models? Or are the racing fans indifferent?

Obviously, sex sells. That's a timeless, universal rule. But in this industry, quality remains most important and unless the new Need for Speed is a quality product, it probably won't hit sales targets. Sure, it might squeeze a few more sales out of adolescent males because of Shayk and Teigen, but that probably won't help EA's bottom line. At least, not much. And yet, as the gaming industry continues to grow at a rapid pace, you can expect more involvement in the flesh trade, so we should probably get used to it.

We're just not sure it works the same way with games as it does with everything else...

Tags: video games, girls in games, hot girl ads, game ads

9/28/2011 9:08:26 PM Ben Dutka

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Comments (34 posts)

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WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 @ 10:04:29 PM
Reply

It's hard to say what happens when the two little ball bearings the kids today have rolling around in their heads clank together but I don't think the sex angle matters that much here. It's about the racing, though maybe race fans who were going to wait will want to get it sooner for the titillation factor.

It's not like these are the DOA girls bouncing around though.

2 up, 0 down

TheAgingHipster
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 @ 10:15:20 PM
Reply

Go check out any race show and you'll see a ton of scantily clad women prancing about, carrying adverts, showing off cars, or selling something. They're pretty much a staple of the racing community.

3 up, 0 down

TheAgingHipster
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 @ 10:15:50 PM

Heck, how long have guys had calendars of hot women in bikinis lying on pretty cars?

1 up, 0 down

NoOneSpecial
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 @ 10:55:55 PM

Yep, I used get in so much trouble with the parents for buying those calenders. I actually wanted them for the cars (no joke), but the girls didn't make them happy.

0 up, 0 down

johnld
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 12:15:09 AM

i have 3 calendars up all the wrong year, i dont mind them staying up. hahaha, misa campo, leah dizon, and courtney day.

0 up, 0 down

AcHiLLiA
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 1:18:14 PM

I love the import tuner models maybe it's because I'm half asian.

Last edited by AcHiLLiA on 9/29/2011 1:19:23 PM

0 up, 0 down

maxpontiac
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 @ 11:52:36 PM
Reply

TheAgingHipster is spot on. Attractive women on cars in photos go hand in hand. This could just be evolution of that.

0 up, 0 down

daus26
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 1:00:04 AM

I think you're right. Just keep it away from GT5 lol.

0 up, 0 down

maxpontiac
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 10:14:16 AM

Indeed!

0 up, 0 down

AcHiLLiA
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 1:19:00 PM

Also the upcoming GT games.

0 up, 0 down

Vitron
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 12:09:27 AM
Reply

To me? If race games, yes. In other games, not really...

0 up, 0 down

TrophyHunter
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 8:38:19 AM

What about a mud wrestling game???

1 up, 0 down

johnld
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 12:13:13 AM
Reply

it might work with the younger crowd. hell, i bought street racing syndicate back in the ps2 days because of import models. found out the game was pretty good. i think i out grew that and the racing genre in particular. although i must say that i loved gran turismo, need for speed not as much.

Last edited by johnld on 9/29/2011 12:16:45 AM

1 up, 0 down

Gabriel013
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 12:59:04 AM
Reply

It depends. If they're just there to distract from a terrible game then no, I'd expect not. If the attractive women play a part in the story and appear in frequent cutscenes then possibly.

0 up, 0 down

daus26
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 1:05:49 AM
Reply

Hot women in video games are the same to me as they are in movies. They have to have a good role to the story for me to care about them. Admittingly though, they do make me favor the movie/game more, but they are not decision breakers.

I know games like Juice had hot women too, but that didn't attract me at all. Don't make me mention the MX vs. ATV one (or something like that).. oh wait I did. You can't just slap these hot ladies and expect it to do any major boosting in sales. You have to have a good quality game to it, like movies have to have a good quality story behind it.

0 up, 0 down

ZenChichiri
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 2:23:49 AM
Reply

They have been doing this for years. To appeal to the highly nerdy, you need to make it more fantasy based though. Does anyone remember Everquest? The mascot, Firiona Vie, was a scantily clad High Elf Magician (wizard? ah I forget) that had huuuuuuuge knockers. Too huge for a High Elf. If High Elf tits are like Asian tits, and human tits are like white girl tits, then they were much too huge.

Anyways, this has been around for a long time, but in more subtle ways in the past. They actually incorporated it into the game better back in the day. Instead of just showing us a hot girl so we have to pause the game and put our penis in something (whether it be our hands, our significant others, or our fleshlight), they actually had girls involved with the story that were hot that we actually cared about. I'm sure if the video showed this girl getting hit by a car that swerved off the road, most people on the Internet would just laugh it off. If Lara Croft gets hit by a car, everyone would be like "nooooooooo there goes my dream girl who kicks all kinds of ass. Who am I going to rush to the corner with and try to get the camera to show me her tits now?!"

Actually I guess there is one tasteless game that comes to mind from the past. Anyone remember BMX XXX? I never played it, but I do remember laughing at it when I saw it in a PSM.

Give me a sexy Lara Croft that is actually involved in the game instead of just flashing girls in front of my face, please.

Last edited by ZenChichiri on 9/29/2011 2:25:22 AM

0 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 10:53:40 PM

ZenChichiri

It's funny that you just mentioned Everquest cause I found and bought that game yesterday, to help fill in my PS2 collection.

Last edited by BikerSaint on 9/29/2011 10:54:47 PM

0 up, 0 down

AshT
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 3:01:15 AM
Reply

well to me if the game is good i'll buy it and nothing else will matter

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JonnyR
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 4:06:26 AM
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Its always nice to see pretty girls but it doesnt say much about content or quality of the game or whatever else they're trying to sell to you.

personaly it seems worrying if they have to resort to this kind of advertising, as if the game cant get by on its own merit alone.

0 up, 0 down

___________
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 4:08:48 AM
Reply

nope.
the whole point of games is to have fun.
how does having images of hot chicks increase the fun factor?
if i wanted that material i certainly would not be playing a game thats for sure!
besides, it can get kinda distracting............

1 up, 1 down

Danny007
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 7:33:35 AM
Reply

To me hot girl advertising doesn't really matter. Chances are if the game can afford to be packed with Sports Illustrated models then I was probably going to get it anyways. Hopefully, the models fit in the game.

0 up, 0 down

gumbi
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 8:16:48 AM
Reply

Maybe 15 years ago this kind of advertising would have been more effective in a video game. Back when hot girl media wasn't so readily, and freely, available. Nowadays, with the internet providing any horny fella with all the smut he can handle for free, I don't think this is gonna sell any extra copies of the game.

That said... I certainly don't have a problem with it ;)

1 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 8:53:00 AM
Reply

I am an oldschool male. As such I do not mind hot girls. But, "Does it work?" - not in car games where the ladies are nowhere to be seen but in cut-scenes.

However, in other genre games where the attractive ladies are found as ingame team-mates or even the main character? Well, that's an entirely different matter.

Last edited by Beamboom on 9/29/2011 8:58:43 AM

0 up, 1 down

TrophyHunter
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 8:56:37 AM
Reply

Hot girls can be seen everywhere this days, magazines, movies, tv commercials, why not in a videogame??

2 up, 0 down

TheOldOne
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 8:58:33 AM
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There's a popular show here who has an iconic presenter who loves car games. He has mentioned a couple of times "the Need For Speed game with the hot chick on it". I bet he is influencing a lot of gamers (and potentially buyers) with those lines. That's probably why I want to see future Need for Speed trailers to see what the fuzz is all about.

0 up, 0 down

Excelsior1
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 9:58:36 AM
Reply

hot girl advertising in video games might work on some people. i can tell you what works on me. that would be some hot gameplay footage of the game with some awesome music.

0 up, 0 down

Nynja
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 10:18:21 AM
Reply

No...but I like to watch anyways :)

2 up, 0 down

JustXTheTip
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 11:29:34 AM
Reply

NFS definitely has its fans. I don't think it matters much with this game but there are other games that use the sex appeal factor. *cough* Lulu's tits

0 up, 0 down

AcHiLLiA
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 1:21:25 PM
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As long if it's not to much advertising.

0 up, 0 down

CheddarClyde
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 2:53:17 PM
Reply

Rachel Specter in those RGX Body Spray ads from a few years back was so hot that I was willing to risk a restraining order being placed against me and a face full of pepper spray, and I STILL didn't buy that stuff. TnA will always draw attention to your product even if you're selling 8 track tapes. How much attention with tons of free porn as competition is debatable.

Any gamer above 18 is going to get a game based on the game and not the women in the ads. When you're spending your own money, you tend to make level-headed purchases... most of the time.

1 up, 0 down

Minishmaru
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 4:02:06 PM
Reply

It does what its supposed to do which is catch your attention cuz lets be honest here...we all like a pretty face(or other body parts) and as long as the game is going to be good I have no problems with it. I feel like Saints Row is a good example of using sex appeal to draw in people but backed it up with a fun game (not perfect but fun)

0 up, 0 down

Jdogtoocool
Thursday, September 29, 2011 @ 5:54:11 PM
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According to Atlus's Catherine game...yes

1 up, 0 down

apdgat
Sunday, October 02, 2011 @ 10:08:04 PM
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Sex will always sell... and those who say otherwise are just a bunch of hypocrites. I'm not saying that sex represents a guaranteed sale, but hey, a "boost" here or there won't hurt anyone... no?

0 up, 0 down

D1g1tal5torm
Monday, October 03, 2011 @ 9:32:21 AM
Reply

It doesnt help the sell the game anymore to me...

...but it's doesnt detract either!

0 up, 0 down

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