Content warning: This column discusses depictions of sexual violence.

The horror genre has evolved over the years, continuously taking its concepts further than we expect. Alfred Hitchcock revolutionized shock horror with his 1960 film “Psycho.” Psycho had the first mainstream graphic murder scene and in the ‘60s, for better or worse, it caused an uproar. According to Film Stories, “Psycho” brought excitement back to theaters and grossed $32,000,000 in its first release, more than any other horror film at the time.

Since the release of “Psycho,” the shock horror genre has been adapted for video games. Games like Resident Evil have become giants in the horror game industry — their popularity, combined with their incredible gameplay, makes them particularly appealing.

However, to be successful in this genre, both shock and uniqueness are required, which has led to a disturbing trend in the past decade of depicting sexual assault in gameplay.

Games like Rape Day and No Mercy are exactly what their titles suggest. These games, while created to be extremely intense and “edgy,” ultimately fail at being true horror games, instead ineffectively using sexual assault in the place of classic horror tropes.

Including sexual assault in a video game creates an unethical simulation and destroys the fantasy of escaping to another world. The second someone can see themselves in the victim’s shoes, they are forced to exit the world of the game and enter a real-life situation. The act of animating a scene depicting sexual assault alone is grossly offensive and completely unnecessary. Most concerningly, victims of assault playing the game are forced to witness a scene that isn’t just gameplay, but a reminder of an attack.

Even allowing these games to reach production is exceptionally negligent because, as soon as a game is announced and marketing begins, a troubling community and fan base often form. These particular games actively create a safe space for predators to indulge and enable their demented desires. Since-deleted Reddit forums awaited the release of Rape Day, although the game was never released. Though this might not be the game developers’ intention, it is an inevitable side effect.

Another failure of these games is that they rely on sexual assault as their shock factor rather than traditional horror scenes. By doing this, the developers insinuate the game doesn’t need true horror if the sexual assault themes are uncomfortable enough to label it “disturbing.” This approach is not only lazy but also actively attempts to normalize rape.

One game that has gained massive popularity is called Mouthwashing. A core element of this game’s storytelling is rape. The main character, Jimmy, rapes and impregnates a crewmate on his spaceship. While the game centers on Jimmy’s personal agenda to avoid the consequences of his actions, the actual victim of his crime, Anya, is almost devoid of substance. Anya is the only female character in the game and her sole purpose is to be violated — demonstrating a one-dimensional, hateful view of women.

Alarmingly, Mouthwashing won several awards, most notably “Best Narrative” and “Players’ Choice” Awards in the 2024 Horror Game Awards.

Psychological and semirealistic horror games have their place in the industry, but what sets them apart from games like the aforementioned No Mercy is the distinct types of violence they portray.

A successful example of this genre is Visage, which centers on a man tormented by his actions and by supernatural entities. The blur of real life and fantasy makes for a terrifying play. Most importantly, the game succeeds in scaring and unsettling the player without adding themes of sexual violence.

That’s not to say that sexual assault can’t be used correctly, appropriately and sensitively in a video game. For instance, Fran Bow is the story of a young girl in a mental hospital after witnessing her parents’ murder. Another girl in the asylum, Adelaida, is there as a victim of sexual assault. Although her trauma is key to her character, she is on the road to recovery, in therapy and using healthy coping mechanisms. Displaying a victim of sexual assault in this manner brings attention to the issue without glorifying it.

Graphic rape and sexual assault scenes have no place in horror games — alluding and hinting at a previous incident without forcing players into it is the only ethical approach. Extreme violence in video games is heavily criticized, and several studies have been conducted to examine its effects. In fact, a study done by the National Institutes of Health suggests that subjection to video game violence can lead to aggression later in life. Sexual violence in video games, however, is an under-publicized issue, and long-term consequences are not yet known.

Ultimately, games that glorify sexual assault are hateful and alienate potential players with their content. Graphic representation of sexual assault wasn’t a niche that needed to be filled, and it does far more harm than good.

Deirdre Pryal is a sophomore majoring in English.

Views expressed in the opinions pages represent the opinions of the columnists. The only piece that represents the view of the Pipe Dream Editorial Board is the staff editorial.