Following the information-filled AMA from Scott Phillips, Design Director, and Jim Boone, Senior Producer on Saints Row IV, Kate Nelson, Associate Producer, talked to Edge about a couple of topics, including sexism.
When it comes to going too far in Saints Row and Tera Patrick, the pornstar THQ used to promote Saints Row 2 and was part of the Ultor Exposed DLC, Kate said, “I did not always love how much THQ put an emphasis on porn stars.” Nelson continued, “I think it’s important in marketing games to make sure that the essence of the game is what’s being marketed, and I think the porn star angle didn’t really fit in with what Saints Row is at heart, which is a parody. We like to poke fun.”
Sticking with Tera Patrick, it turns out that when she was promoted as a ‘special producer’ on Saints Row 2, it was something that people at Volition “didn’t appreciate.” Kate explains:
Saying that someone who had no industry experience was in a role that is sexualised as a producer of our project, or saying the penthouse girls are our QA staff – I just…I can see the humour in that angle of promotion but for me that’s the line where it gets into reality.
Saints Row in a lots of ways has empowered minorities and empowered women, which I think is important to get across.
Did using a pornstar to promote Saints Row 2 ultimately impact your decision to buy the game? Or was it the fact that it looked fun? Let us know in the comments below.
More on Sexism:
