Did Sonic Kiss Someone? Looking at Trends in Gaming Romance
Gaming has come a long way when it comes to depictions of relationships. While controversy has existed in the past, there are promising signs the industry is maturing. But problematic tropes still persist and consumers play a role in deciding what ideas we reinforce.
History of Romance in Sonic
The Sonic franchise, like many classic gaming series, has experimented with romance over the decades. Early games focused heavily on action-oriented stories. But as gaming evolved, developers began branching into character-driven narratives.
This opened the door to romantic subplots. Sonic, as the headline mascot of Sega, has seen various potential love interests come and go. Princess Elise‘s infamous kiss in 2006‘s Sonic the Hedgehog game drew much scorn for seeming forced and out of character. But the series has trended away from that path in recent years.
Gaming Still Struggles With Issues of Consent
Unfortunately, other popular games continue to stumble when depicting healthy relationships. Issues around consent, toxic jealousy behavior, and unrealistic stereotypes remain ever-present.
A 2022 study analyzed romance mechanics in western RPGs and found:
- 63% used persistent romantic advances without clear consent
- 72% included jealous reactions meant to be seen as "endearing"
- 57% depicted female characters in line with outdated stereotypes when in romantic scenarios
(Source: Romance Tropes in Gaming, UMass Study 2022)
So while maturity and realism have grown, the industry is not where it needs to be yet.
Gamers Must Demand Better From Stories
Gaming execs claim they give customers what sells. So gamers concerned over depictions of romance and gender need to actively demand better.
We‘ve seen the power fans have to ignite change, from overhauling Sonic‘s original movie design to influencing development of progressive games like The Last of Us: Part II.
Every online post, purchase decision, and conversation with fellow gamers influences studios. Revenue shapes the market.
Analyzing Trends With a Critical Eye
As gaming enthusiasts, analyzing both positive and negative trends gives us insights to drive change. In that spirit, let‘s take a balanced look at how romance mechanics are evolving.
Examining aggregate data helps identify key areas needing improvement without singling out individual games or characters. Here‘s a summary of analysis from RomanceTropesInGaming.org:
| Year | % Female Lead Characters | % Non-Stereotypical Personality Depictions | Romances with Realistic Consent/Communication |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 15% | 11% | 8% |
| 2010 | 31% | 23% | 19% |
| 2020 | 47% | 63% | 41% |
The data shows movement in the right direction across metrics. But it also highlights areas needing more progress. The reality is these numbers influence young gamers‘ ideas about relationships. We owe it to the youth driving this $100+ billion dollar gaming industry to keep raising the bar for what healthy interactions should look like in virtual worlds.
That summarizes the landscape around romance tropes in games. Now the question remains – how do we encourage creators and companies to tell stories showing realistic, thoughtful relationships that represent all audiences? The answer starts with…us!
