NSFW characters in video games will have an impact on what the developers can do, as it effects the game rating, influencing sale and Market size & target, regulatory review etc. This article will discuss the ways in which NSFW characters shift the tectonical plates of game rating and its significance to developers and players.
The rating boards will surely come down on these kinds of games as well.
Games with NSFW characters are often reviewed closely by rating agencies like the U.S. Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and Pan European Game Information (PEGI) in Europe. These groups review games for things such as sexual content, nudity, language, and violence. Games with explicit content are usually rated "M" (Mature 17+) by ESRB and 18 by PEGI. The most up-to-date figures from 2020 reveal M-rated video games assign to games containing sexual content or mature themes equaled roughly 12% of all assessed by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).
Challenges Faced with the Marketability and Distribution
This is also useful for when you can create a full game but realize that if you don't go for the standard variety of Kansas vanilla normal NBL Yncene game, you'll likely have a hard time getting distribution. NSFW content is also never something you would see when it comes to many retailers, such as Steam or the PlayStation Store, which should be quite clear by now as to obvious reasons behind this. These outlets may also constrain the availability and ultimately exposure and sales=money a game is able to generate ( … ). Market analysis suggests that games with an M-rating receive close to 15% less shelf presence than games rated for all ages.
Cultural and Regional Impact
Not even to mention this that the impact of NSFW characters in games is going to be... different depending on the culture and territory. Explicit content in games is a controversial topic, and it is the reason why game banning or heavy censoring will occur in countries around the world. Japan, another example, has laws that restrict the use of certain NSFW themes and games like such can have the content altered for the Japanese market. Conversely, in locations with more comfortable relationships with NSFW content, the existence of NSFW characters would likely not affect the game too drastically.
Audience Limitations
Add a dash of R-rated characters to video games, and those games are adult-only by default, and therefore involving this kind of content automatically prevents young people from playing. An overall market potential limitation this demographic can have on a game's revenue streams. A 2021 survey of the first five months of U.S. Protecting Young Eyes found games that panel deemed Teen outsold games that were rated Adults Only by 3 to 1.
Development & Creative Outlet
On the development side, it means developers can tell adult stories, as well as indulge adult-themed narrative and drive the game in ways that cater to a specific type of player. This provides them with unique chances to tell stories but this means they can afford to build characters to the depth some other characters are. All that said, artists must also consider the more touchy subject of the backlash they are likely to face, walking the tightrope, if you will, to create a piece that might stir some controversy over how its presented — or be too scared to create something that may be perceived controversially, and thus lose out on sales.
Ultimately, NSFW character are central to the rating and therefore marketability, distribution, and available audience for a video game. For a developer, these are hurdles that need to be cautiously weaved through to experience the advantages and not the blunders that jeopardize the game.