OP
OP
While my version is far harder to make out I did think they were men, however it's far more tasteful and classy than most of the stuff featuring women, and it's also just one vs many.
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Hypersexualised Women in Ads in Cyberpunk 2077
- Thread starter Dmax3901
- Start date
Actually OP included that one thinking they were woman lmao
I can't find more at the moment.
Also OP thinking one of the examples posted is not sexualized makes think he needs to open his eyes beyond the cis het view about sexualized depictions of men in media.
So we have examples of solo female, lesbian couples, solo male, gay couples, and solo non-binary. The ratio of female-focused ads compared to the others is concerning, but otherwise this is more representation than I expected from a AAA game.
the fact that all the ads feature women is typical of the exploitation of sexual imagery. It's not right, but that's what it usually boils down to.
I believe that rather distasteful aspect is in keeping with Cyberpunk's amoral/immoral hyper-capitalist dystopian aesthetic. Again, it is a matter of depiction vs endorsement. Honestly, a more sincere and organized assessment can be done post launch after much of its world's politics and consequent ramifications, have been discovered and collated.
To that end, I do anticipate YTubers like Noah-Caldwell Gervais, Chris Davis, etc may, in time, unveil that for the broader audience in the future.
I came to say this after reading the OP then saw your post.
Cyberpunk worlds are always hyper sexualised, our world is probably going to hit that point as well eventually.
My understanding is that gender fluidity is extremely common in the Cyberpunk world.
User Banned (3 Weeks): Dismissive driveby
Can we not wait until the game is out before complaining about it?
I like how people are saying "this is cyberpunk" while ignoring completely who is making the game. TW III is full of beautiful women with very few exceptions while men have a good variations.
The fact only women are hyper sexualized and you have an ass shot from a strip club in the trailer is made for a purpose. Even female V is objectified.
The fact only women are hyper sexualized and you have an ass shot from a strip club in the trailer is made for a purpose. Even female V is objectified.
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Minus explicitly sexual male gay and trans motives you mean. "Hot lesbians" will forever be the peak diversity in human advertisement :p
OP
OP
What? I knew they were men. I also know the examples posted on the first page are sexualised, I'm just saying it's not to the same extent or volume (especially when it comes to what CD Projekt Red are displaying up front in their marketing).
User Banned (1 Month): Dismissing concerns around sexist objectification, account in junior phase.
Homelessness is a symptom of a criminal world full of depravity. Depraved people are full of lust, corruption, perversion, etc.
Just to add im hoping there will be more diverse ads, I mean we've not seen everything. Given it's a PC game as well people might be able to mod in more ads which would be nice for everyone if they're not in there by default.
User Banned (2 weeks): Dismissive driveby
Cdpr gave a good explanation to it, and its about world building and lore of the world. Makes sense, ppl are too sensitive to this.
Seems par the course. A cyberpunk world is meant to be a disgusting place with people indulging all of their urges and worst impulses, corporations exploiting and selling it on every corner. Sex, drugs, violence. It's not meant to be a nice place.
The real question is whether or not Cyberpunk 2077 can use this world to tell a poignant story. We won't know that till we've played it.
The real question is whether or not Cyberpunk 2077 can use this world to tell a poignant story. We won't know that till we've played it.
Lmao you guys will recognize lampshading the stupid rats in the basement quest while still making you do it isn't funny but when it comes to addressing sexualization of women it's "it's part of the SETTINNNNNGGGG".
Inch resting ....
Inch resting ....
What I've noticed in the bit of cyberpunk stuff I've read/watched/etc. is that a lot of dystopian elements such as these ads are present without there being a message attached to each element specifically. Like others said, it is world building. But that world is supposed to be fucked up and sometimes people in-universe aren't put off by it. You said it makes you uncomfortable. Good, it should. That's engaging with the work on a deeper level than taking the story or characters at face-value. I can't speak for CDPR because of their track record, but I'm used to cyberpunk (in line with a lot of hard sci-fi) presenting worlds like this so they can be critiqued by the audience, and in turn so we can critique the roots of those issues in our own society.
You get into issues here like the Mere Exposure Effect, which is where I can agree these ads existing without some responsible framing can have a negative effect.
Thread re-opened. Remember to stay on topic and don't veer off into dismissive commentary and/or drive-by posting.
Yeah. The Cyberpunk future is full of cool tech but it's an awful time and place to live unless you're a super wealthy sociopath.
Of course the average consumer won't see that, probably...it's an exaggeration of life today so that world is a fantasy for a decent number of folk.
Of course the average consumer won't see that, probably...it's an exaggeration of life today so that world is a fantasy for a decent number of folk.
I see the same imagery in most if not all media that is set in these futuristic worlds.
Let's see how it plays out. We've already seen demos or the character of this world living in crime/violence/decadence, so these ads do not seem out of place.
Let's see how it plays out. We've already seen demos or the character of this world living in crime/violence/decadence, so these ads do not seem out of place.
Are you saying that backdrops do not serve the world building and atmosphere? This is a society we should not aspire to be including all the bullshit that comes with it.
User banned (1 Month): Mischaracterizing criticism of sexist objectification as prudishness
It does seem like they're objectifying both men and women more or less equally based on the replies in this thread, so yeah. Classic trope of the genre combined with "Depiction is not endorsement". I can't say I'm too worried about this. But I also tend to think that Western culture is far too prudish on sexual topics and far too relaxed about ultraviolence, so perhaps I was never going to be too critical about this.
There's a whole gang that is former/current sex workers. And body enhancements is part of the core of the game so idealization of looks and advertising it is also going to be core to the visual imagery.
Much like a lot of dystopian genre depictions, the simplified idea is that selling your body is one of the few ways to make ends meet, and having basic pleasures like sex, drugs, alcohol is some of the only relief available for the poor from the oppression of a tough life. We've seen this concept in movies, books, games before. It's not new here at all. Just a lot more visual that most.
Hasn't hypersexuality in the cyberpunk genre of fiction usually been a ploy to point out how women and sex workers are exploited in capitalist systems, rather than it being about 'everyone embraces their sexuality 'cause it's the future yo'?
From all I've seen so far, it feels like Cyberpunk 2077 doesn't quite get the fundamental social commentary that lies at the heart of cyberpunk genre.
From all I've seen so far, it feels like Cyberpunk 2077 doesn't quite get the fundamental social commentary that lies at the heart of cyberpunk genre.
Pretty much. As a woman, I find CDPR's reliance on objectifying females offensive and tacky. Which is a pity, because they make pretty good games.
It's a trailer. Unfair to judge a game based off it. So maybe I will reserve my judgement till I have played it. Something to keep in mind indeed while playing.
But this trailer is definitely targeted towards a particular demographic no doubt.
But this trailer is definitely targeted towards a particular demographic no doubt.
I think the issue with this is that they didn't *have* to do it. It's a staple of the genre and all that jazz, and I'm not disagreeing. But the genre has some growing up to do so while you can't blame CD for starting it, you can blame them for continuing it. You can create a dystopia without needlessly sexualizing women. They made a choice.
For a studio that is already under fire for the way they've handled certain topics currently and in the past- and an industry that is rampant with misogyny- at the very very best, this is a gross lack of awareness.
For a studio that is already under fire for the way they've handled certain topics currently and in the past- and an industry that is rampant with misogyny- at the very very best, this is a gross lack of awareness.
Isn't the point that in a hypercapitalist cyberpunk distopia everything is commodified? It can be directly related to the exploitation of women and sex workers, but it's a broader critique than that.
Generally I'm skeptical about the game's ability to take its source material seriously, but this is definitely something to keep an eye on (I don't think we can tell if you're right yet).
It could be even worse than being there for 'edge' too. They might revel in it. i.e. the Warhammer 40K fan perception "ooh cool future"
Worst case:
Thanks for sharing this. Browsed it a bit and definitely will watch it in it's entirety later on. They had interesting perspective on the "lesbomancy" in the Witcher 2 that I hadnt considered. I just wrote it off as dumb and juvenile at first.
User Banned (1 Month): Defending sexist objectification, prior ban for dismissing transphobia in a Cyberpunk thread
Jep that's Cyberpunk. I like it. So fucked up.
