Sex & Games

The playing field is definitely changing as cybersex becomes more than a visual experience. The online community seems to be headed in a direction that would make online sex as "realistic" as possible, but I wonder if, in some ways, this doesn't defeat the purpose of internet sex. Perhaps some people are using cybersex as a replacement for the real thing, but I think for many cyberers, it fills different needs, whether healthy or not. There's something about the removed, non-intimate "intimacy" of a chat room that is attractive to us as people who are not interested in a mutual, sensual experience, and much more turned on at the prospect of lonely mutual masturbation. All of which is to say that perhaps this new wave of interactive toys will lose speed as it actually increases the chances for meaningful online sexual encounters.

I agree with Bonnie on a limited scale. The online community is indeed headed towards a direction in which online sex will become as _tactile_ as possible. 'Real' sex is entirely psychological, thus 'cybersex' is sex in many senses of the word. Some people may engage in cybersex to replace the real thing, yes. Some do for entirely other reasons, but there are a few (at least I assume a few) who do purely for the...the...essence, I should say, of the act. Cybersex is infinitely more intimate than physical sex, even if it doesn't have quite the same reproductions. You are indeed _inside_ your partner's mind, or as far inside as they can or will let you. That very vulnerability is what I would imagine some cyber for. Now the specifics...*trail off into babbling*

I'll just point out that some married couples live in different cities, and "as-realistic-as-possible" cybersex is a practical and inexpensive alternative to conjugal plane flights. There are many reasons why a couple may "get it on" online...

I agree with all the points so far and want to add that cybering is also a place where people actually enhance their everyday sex/masturbating by developing new fantasies, etc. It's somewhat educational, very low risk, and a good way for people to explore things before or *instead* of trying them in real life (especially cool if you're dealing with high risk or taboo sexual issues). It's even therapeutic for some people or couples to try things together or independently online.

There are lots of different types of cybersexers doing it for a myriad of reasons. This creates a lot of opportunity for all kinds of products, services, and adult entertainment online but nothing is one-size-fits-all. Even in the adult game I'm working on we had to reject voice and video features early on in the design process knowing that these two features (though great in their way, for certain times and people) would damage the community and sense of "fantasy" or anonymity that will help the role-playing and eroticism thrive in the game. Yet, we know how popular and lucrative cam and voice based adult entertainment can be- it's just not for everyone in all situations when cybering online. Especially if I'm, you know, trying to be a Night Elf. ;p