Sex scenes almost cut from GOWIII

By Oli Welsh Published 2 March, 2010

Director wasn't keen, but relented.

God of War III director Stig Asmussen has told UGO that he wanted to leave the now-traditional sex scene out of the action sequel.

"It was... a debate between me and several of the story writers. I was like, 'I'd rather not have it in there at all,'" Asmussen said of the sex mini-game which has featured in every game in the God of War series to date. In the scenes, hero Kratos engages in suggestive tussles with topless ladies while the player presses buttons rhythmically.

Asked what the point of the scenes was, Asmussen said, "You asked a very fine question, and I felt sort of the same way. What is the point? If we do it, it has to have a point." He explained that, in the first game, it had been an "important tool" in establishing Kratos' character as a "man's man". But he subsequently felt that "it became one of these things where we’re damned if we do, and we're damned if we don't".

Eventually, Asmussen decided that the sex could stay if he gave the scene a purpose in the game's story. "It's not just you going in there, finding some corner and having sex with somebody. It's something that guides you through the story," he said. "You get information and more than just a fluff moment."

Asked if he was worried about alienating female gamers with the macho love-making, Asmussen commented, "Women like sex too."

God of War III will be released for PS3 on 19th March. Look out for our review soon.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (59) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • hello_fi #1 2 years ago

    Can't wait to see this marked up by EG for being "mature" with its content, even though Dante's Inferno was marked down for the exact same reason.

  • jonsaan #2 2 years ago

    How about 50 comments saying how this game is for 14 year old wankers? Oh wait, it's not DOA is it?

  • ukgamer #3 2 years ago

    I highly doubt a large percentage of females will play this very violent game. It's mostly going to be guys and tom boys.

  • TeaFiend #4 2 years ago

    News just in, "Women like sex too".

    Stay tuned for future updates such as dogs like meat, concrete is hard and fire is hot.

  • M_of_the_sys #5 2 years ago

    Sex scenes?

    /orders GOW collection.

  • menage #6 2 years ago

    So he's going to buttrape a harpy to get to the other side now?

    Kinda feels like they tried to validate it for validation sake, which is just as pointless.

    Edited by 1 at 02/03/10 @ 09:49

  • alimokrane #7 2 years ago

    @M_of_the_sys

    Mission accomplished Sony. More people will buy your game.

    Are developers this desperate to sell their games ? spitting out news about sexual content and what not ..... What a joke!
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/10 @ 09:50

  • Zero_ #8 2 years ago

    "Women like sex" is probably the best quote from a video game industry person yet.

  • chukcyQ #9 2 years ago

    Gears of War sex. Marcus and Cole Train? No thanks.

  • wizlon #10 2 years ago

    "Gears of War sex. Marcus and Cole Train? No thanks. "

    I don't get it, how could they possibly... do...oh... 0_0

  • jamhead #11 2 years ago

    Can't people just accept that titillation is a bit of a fun distraction from all the tearing people and ogres etc to pieces? There is no question that it's playing to the most base of male instincts - to dominate men by smashing their faces in, then round it up with a quick shag, but is there any real harm in it? is there!? :-)

    It just amuses me that sex has to be justified as contributing to the story - whereas killing people is accepted as just being fun. Perhaps it's time for a spin-off of GoW where you play Athena and boink your way around ancient Greece, and occasionally have to kill someone in a mini-game!

  • bad09 #12 2 years ago

    I'm not a prude and I have no problem with sex in games (although I honestly see no need for it in anyway in games)....but I played that sex mini game on the PSP version of GOW and thought stopping to shag a couple a women after a scrap was pointless, unneeded and was just there for no other reason than to be "mature", personally it made me think the game was for teens rather than adults (which judging from the divine comedy of the Dantes Inferno review comments is indeed the majority of the hack and slash audience).

  • 00.00.01 #13 2 years ago

    "Women like sex too."
    "Women like games too."
    "Women like violence too."
    Don't get me wrong, sex rules. And it's much more satisfying than gaming. But I also understand that sex (hardly ever) is 'adding' to a game (unless you play Rapelay http://gaming.wi kia.com/wiki/Rapelay for fun....)
    Sex just sellls soooo good. The next Modern Warfare will probably have some in it. Cum-o-flage 'n perks like that :)

  • captain_Carl #14 2 years ago

    ...It did have a point. It gave you health.

    I don't see as it needed any more of a point than that, really.

  • M_of_the_sys #15 2 years ago

    I've only played Chains of Olumpus* on PSP. I was on the train when I had to do the sex scene and I was very embarrased.

    Edit: *Olympus.
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/10 @ 10:11

  • hiddenranbir #16 2 years ago

    Won't somebody please think of the children!!

  • OnlyMe #17 2 years ago

    I usually just skip the sex scenes, 'cause I find them awkward, pointless and really just an immature "look how shocking I can be, and how bad ass Kratos is" feature. They're not particularly fun to play either. I hated the sex mini-game in Fahrenheit as well. I don't get it, how are pretending we're humping someone supposd to be a mature thing? For christ sake, we're playing a game, there's nothing supposedly mature about that. Heck, I even dislike sex scenes in movies, 'cause they're usually boring and really does nothing to improve on the movie. I'd much rather just have the subtle hints or clues of what had happened in that bed/kitchen/whatever instead of having a movie five minutes longer. Watching someone else have sex is entertaining, and pretending to have sex is even worse.

    Thinking this kind of stuff is mature is the equivelent of a child thinking of themselves as an adult.

  • Zomoniac #18 2 years ago

    I played that sex mini game on the PSP version of GOW and thought stopping to shag a couple a women after a scrap was pointless, unneeded and was just there for no other reason than to be "mature"

    I thought it was supposed to be silly and a bit of an immature giggle. And it was. Stop taking things so seriously. It's not pretending to be artistic erotica, it's an optional novelty minigame thrown in for a bit of a laugh, you don't have to bother with it.

  • Zomoniac #19 2 years ago

    Call me bigot but this game is stepping too far, in my opinion.

    Are you from Philadelphia?

  • Br0ken_Engli5h #20 2 years ago


    Ban this sick filth!
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/10 @ 10:22

  • midnight_walker #21 2 years ago

    "I played the demo and the extreme (and gratuitous) violence disturbs me."

    You know Peggle is going for free at the moment. It's probably more your thing.

  • deepspacefox #22 2 years ago

    That's a line from Men Behaving Badly isn't it?

    "Women like sex too, Gary"

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #23 2 years ago

    EarlBassett: Ellie Gibson was in charge of picking the news stories this morning. Just saying.
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/10 @ 10:38

  • kangarootoo #24 2 years ago

    @captain_Carl

    You are confusing a "point" with a "result".

  • DiamondIce #25 2 years ago

    @ukgamer

    Thanks for labelling me and putting me in a nice neat box named 'tom boy'.




    ...Goes back to playing on large range of Imagine games.
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/10 @ 11:14

  • Doctor_What #26 2 years ago

    So what you're saying Oli is "Ellie Likes Sex Too"? Now there's a story to boost your readership. Run an interview feature and serialise it! :D

  • peterfll #27 2 years ago

    There's nothing wrong with having a pointless screw. You know, once in a while.

  • FiZiE #28 2 years ago

    women like sex too!? No way

  • Zomoniac #29 2 years ago

    "Women like sex too"?

    Mine doesn't :(

  • TeaFiend #30 2 years ago

    @Doctor_What:
    Using logic:
    Ellie is a woman. Women like sex. Therefore Ellie likes sex.

    Rather obvious.

  • JayKwon #31 2 years ago

    His reaction: "Women like sex too" :+).

  • MightyMouse #32 2 years ago

    I haven't played GoW, but these sex scenes don't exactly sound consensual. Is that true?

    edit: It's an honest question! Le sigh.
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/10 @ 15:18

  • The_Inquisitor #33 2 years ago

    As I recall, the scenes from previous games didn't show anything except the bed side table with various items on it shaking, with moaning in the background.
    Not anything to upset or arouse, whether it has a place is this game is up for debate, though if the developers can't even make up their minds, who's to say....

  • TeaFiend #34 2 years ago

    Anyway, all tom boys are female. Or so I have been lead to believe.
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/10 @ 12:28

  • s3y3 #35 2 years ago

    Almost everyone likes sex, maybe just not in computer games.

  • Quak #36 2 years ago

    Stay tuned for future updates such as dogs like meat, concrete is hard and fire is hot.

    He wasn't claiming it was news - he was stating the obvious in response to a stupid question.

  • Zomoniac #37 2 years ago

    I haven't played GoW, but these sex scenes don't exactly sound consensual. Is that true?

    It's two women sprawled on a bed, Kratos comes in, they beg him to come join them. Fairly consensual if you ask me.

  • darleysam #38 2 years ago

    You stay classy, God of War developers.

  • jonfon #39 2 years ago

    "Sex scenes in games are pointless and embarassing. gow, heavy rain, dantes inferno, dragon age.

    Its titilation that it in there only for controversy and contributes nothing to the game."

    Dragons Age was interesting in that at least you had to engage the intended focus of desire and talk and interact with them to achieve anything (ditto with Mass Effect 2). Plus you didn't actually see anything more than you would on say Eastenders.

    God of Wars was rather silly though, huge blood-soaked, blade-wielding maniac comes charging through the door, immediately the two ladies say "Take me now m'lord" and rather noisily go at it while you watch a phallic candle vibrate and press buttons frantically. I can see why the games director is rather embarrassed by it, it's like a sex scene written by (and for) a 14 year old boy.

  • darleysam #40 2 years ago

    Yup. Funnily enough, scenes like this should be insulting to anyone old enough to legally own the game.

  • Jackface #41 2 years ago

    GOW = Gears of War or God of War? I have this problem every time the acronym is used.

  • SimonM7 #42 2 years ago

    Class responses from class damn guy! I'm impressed. :o

  • mkreku #43 2 years ago

    "Women like sex too."

    Just wish they'd like sex with ME too. All of them.

  • captain_Carl #44 2 years ago

    @Darleysam

    Really? Why the hell would i be insulted by sex in a game?

    And yes i am old enough to buy it.

  • MasterNameless #45 2 years ago

    @Jackface

    It is annoying they both use the same acronym, but you should register the context too. In a God or War news story, chances are people mean God of War when they use that acronym. :)
    Edited by 1 at 02/03/10 @ 14:11

  • spongebob #46 2 years ago

    Why there can't be a scene where Kratos MAKES LOVE. Sex is so meaningless.

  • Jackface #47 2 years ago

    @MasterNameless: No shit, Sherlock.

    I was obviously referring to the headline.

  • Hypercube #48 2 years ago

    @Spongebob - I rofl'd a little at that :)

  • linksdad #49 2 years ago

    Sex in games is usually crude, imature and pointless. Its not like this trilogy is a long running series and so what if the first two had a particular feature. It doesn't make it customary.

    Unless they make it proper hardcore, of course!

  • Scimarad #50 2 years ago

    They were a tad daft, TBH.



  • darleysam #51 2 years ago

    Carl, because it's a tacky, shameless attempt to pander to the lowest common denominator. It's the gaming equivalent of the Sunday Sport.

    Sorry, I mean look at the knockers on this bird, eh lads? Eh? Phwoarr!!

  • TitusCrow #52 2 years ago

    This is a maniac who rips's eyes from sockets and horns from heads then uses them to stab the rippee! Perhaps a bit of hard rape now and then might be a nice way to dial it down a notch?

  • TRUTH #53 2 years ago

    was anyone else disappointed with the demo!... I thought it felt a bit too clunky and noticed frame drops, graphics were very good but not to the extent of surpassing other games already out - just very good decent graphics...also QTE got a bit tedious and the gore effect wears thin.

    Not very hard too; managed to pass most simply by button mashing on all sections (except the flying tunnel bit)...Good game and realize this only the demo, but after the fluidity and fighting skill and capability, and fluidity of Bayonetta - GoW was a little let down.
    f

  • TonyHarrison #54 2 years ago

    Sex in games is just so unappealing. If I wanted to watch people having sex I'd just head over to a website filled with such content, and not watch a couple of computer generated characters engage in the carnal pleasures.

    It's even worse when they try to get you to join in with random button presses to facilitate the action...

  • Demiath #55 2 years ago

    Women may or may not like sex too, but shagging an angry and unnervingly pale guy dressed like a cave man doesn't sound like a very attractive option to me...

  • ongjg #56 2 years ago

    I thought in Ancient Greece that was what people did after conquering - a bit of the old rape 'n' pillage.
    When in Rome. Or Athens. Or wherever women are.

  • Trigga_Tybalt #57 2 years ago

    @Zomoniac [link url=http://www.eurogamer. net/articles/sex-scenes-almost-cut-from-gowiii/comments#comm ent1489072
    ]http://ww w.eurogamer.net/articles/sex-sc...[/link]

    yes she does ;)

  • Edwardo #58 2 years ago

    Sex and violence...hell why not remove it all from video games , movies, etc.? Mostly because it would remove some of the fun now then wouldn't it - like imagine not being able to drive over peds in GTA.

    Plus let's be honest - the sex scenes from the first two games didn't exactly go on for very long...made it feel more authentic for me being a true God (because if I were really a God then sex would be right up there on my list of things to do...probably followed closely by killing!).

  • Lamb #59 2 years ago

    If its a mainstream sex scene, not too long and adds some drama or humor I'm all for it. But the internet is for porn anyway so its not required in game.

    http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=cNARJPNz2CA