Why are controversial topics popular?

Rimfonde

Newbie
Jun 12, 2021
18
53
Hey, I want to point out, this is not an attack on anyone, I'm just curious about your opinions. Why are incest and loli so popular and liked despite the controversy? And also ageplay?
 

Jonathan Y

Member
Dec 1, 2020
407
1,047
Because..... those are the desires many harbor within themselves ?
There's really no deeper meaning to it, forbidden fruit and whatnot, immoral yet radiating attraction, the more they are regarded as taboo and shunned upon by moral standards the more those fetishes attract people like moths to a light source. That's how I see it anyway.
 
Apr 19, 2019
60
82
I think you've got it backwards. Incest and loli and shota aren't popular despite the controversy. They're controversial in part because they're popular. If they were unpopular, not much of it would be made, and there would be a lot less of it for people to get upset over.

Controversy aside, why is this stuff popular then? I think it's the element of the taboo. The forbidden fruit. Incest and underage sex is immoral, so people indulge their fantasies by way of fiction instead which is a far, far healthier and saner outlet than doing so in reality.

Not that people would start molesting their little sisters if they didn't have this outlet, though a few might. Just like not everyone who plays violent video games is a latent serial killer, and not every lonely housewife who reads rape-fantasy smut novels hopes they're sexually assaulted by a stranger in a dark alley. Fantasy is fantasy. Just about every mentally sound individual understands there's a distiction between fantasy and reality.
 

thatguy49

Member
Nov 6, 2020
120
204
They're taboo topics that have very real consequences in real life(rightfully so). These games can provide safer ways to play out such fantasies, even though majority see it as just that, fantasy not meant to mix with reality.

I'm in no way interested in my actual family, but I do enjoy the games where families break this strong taboo, flipping societal expectations upside down. Most of my interests are rather vanilla, but this is probably my most fringe interest. I imagine some are similar that players who have rather vanilla kinks see incest as their strong taboo.

As for the loli stuff, I'm not into it, but maybe some other user can share their view.
 

Rimfonde

Newbie
Jun 12, 2021
18
53
Very interesting, indeed as a fantasy and not a real thing it makes sense, thanks for the answers!
 

Doorknob22

Super Moderator
Moderator
Game Developer
Nov 3, 2017
2,226
5,364
I think you've got it backwards. The real money makers (hence popular) porn games are vanilla as a white wall.
 

baneini

Well-Known Member
Jun 28, 2017
1,956
3,021
People used to give birth shortly after their first period. Youth has always been valued highly, then Europeans starting socially condemning certain sexual behaviors. But the underlying biology never changed, since irl version is banned fantasy version of attractive girls is extremely popular.
Incest is very unpopular in real life due to biological factors but since the fantasy version of it has none of the barriers it's intriguing. You're not engaging in sex with your family members and are watching strangers do it, big whoop.
All sex has an element of domination and submission to it, ageplay plays into it. And the theory of women wanting to marry their own fathers might have something to do with it.

In general having freedom in fantasy to explore arousing things you can't explore irl drives the popularity of those things, not the controversy of them. Controversy just makes people want to hide or suppress their desires so other people (women) don't ruin their reputation, actual violence being the underlying threat.
 

claus001

Active Member
Feb 15, 2020
665
1,379
I think you've got it backwards. Incest and loli and shota aren't popular despite the controversy. They're controversial in part because they're popular. If they were unpopular, not much of it would be made, and there would be a lot less of it for people to get upset over.

Controversy aside, why is this stuff popular then? I think it's the element of the taboo. The forbidden fruit. Incest and underage sex is immoral, so people indulge their fantasies by way of fiction instead which is a far, far healthier and saner outlet than doing so in reality.

Not that people would start molesting their little sisters if they didn't have this outlet, though a few might. Just like not everyone who plays violent video games is a latent serial killer, and not every lonely housewife who reads rape-fantasy smut novels hopes they're sexually assaulted by a stranger in a dark alley. Fantasy is fantasy. Just about every mentally sound individual understands there's a distiction between fantasy and reality.
Exactly like this. Murder-rape is both controversial and taboo, yet it is not popular. I don't think you can find a single real-life example murder-rape ending well for all parties, yet having sex with underage loli sister may somehow work out (please don't try it).

In essence you enjoy doing something that is a forbidden fruit together with someone, that is why it is popular. It is a secret that no-one will ever known. Because incest is a taboo, almost every game in this forum has it, but not murder-rape (ravager is an exception, but hey you play as a dragon).