An ode to video game butts
“My analog stick don’t want none unless you got buns hun.”
Video games are a thirsty medium. Whether in the games themselves or in the fandom, video game characters are often presented in a manner as to make you lust over them.
Developers know this and have known for quite a while. Even during the early days of the medium, they’ve been sneaking in small bits of fanservice to titillate the fans.
While this fanservice can come in many forms, there’s one particularly plump bit of anatomy that tends to get the bulk of attention: the butt.
Perhaps its because they’re a “safer” choice to get past the censors that boobs or—uhm—balls. Or perhaps it’s because, in today’s world where the third-person over the should viewpoint, they’re easier to focus on than other bits. Or perhaps it’s because its easier for butts to be enjoyed by all genders. Whatever the reason, video game developers can’t seem to help but give a lot of loving attention to a pair of plump, slappable and (because I just have to say it) dummy thicc buns.
Whatever the reason, we’re better off for it.
This isn’t a new thing either. Yes, as mentioned above, the current prevalence of third-person viewpoints put these digital derrieres front and center. But even back in the days of sidescrolling viewpoints and 2D sprites, butts were already on full display.
For this, I present none other than the first lady of fighting herself, the queen of kicks and the first of many pantsless (female) protagonists in Capcom’s games: Chun-Li.
Wearing a cross between a qipao and something a showgirl would wear, Chun-Li made an impression with her exposed, shapely, bestockinged legs. As any bonafide ass-person will tell you, a good pair of legs is always punctuated by a nice ass, and in this Capcom didn’t disappoint.
That Chun-Li had a nice, shapely set was already obvious during specific frames of her sprite’s animation. However, this was put front and center in 1994’s Super Street Fighter II update where she was given a new animation for her “Kikoken” fireball that put particular focus on her booty.
Chun-Li isn’t the only character from this era gifted with a pulchritudinous butt. Other female fighting game characters from the era were similarly blessed. Capcom even one-upped Chun-Li with Cammy, who’s made a career out of baring her bold behind.
Even SNK’s Mai Shiranui, more commonly known for her bountiful bosom, was also gifted with a bouncy butt, visible in certain animations (but not in the toned-down North American versions of her games).
The advent of 3D polygon graphics put a damper on on-screen representations of asses. After all, there really isn’t anything sexy about sharp, square-edged polygons.
Then everything changed with Metal Gear Solid 2.
By the time the PlayStation 2 rolled around, developers had enough horsepower to render butts decently again. MGS2, however, was one of the first games to really take advantage of this.
Even in the first Metal Gear Solid game, Sold Snake was already wearing a skin-tight sneaking suit. For the sequel, Konami’s art team decided to show just how skin-tight it was, with the suit’s material lovingly embracing each cheek while giving the perfect hint of his crack.
Snake’s butt is so lovingly rendered that even now, over a decade since the game’s release, it’s still the source of memes. Specifically the aforementioned “dummy thicc” one that Snake’s voice actor, David Hayter, couldn’t help but join in on.
And of course, for those who prefer younger butts. Snake’s replacement Raiden traipses through the later chapters of the game in the buff with his lovingly rendered ass-flesh on display for everyone to enjoy.
Snake’s meticulously-rendered rear has since made its way to later games in the series, as well as in his guest appearances in other games. It’s come to the point where fans complained about Snake having a flat butt in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, prompting Nintendo to fix it.
More importantly, Snake has now been joined by a plethora of characters with amazing asses. You have characters like Miranda Lawson from Mass Effect, Cortana from Halo, as well as the various big butted characters like Yuna and Ashe from the Final Fantasy franchise.
Square Enix and series creator Yoko Taro actually took advantage of this, using the internet’s obsession with 2B’s butt to generate buzz for Nier: Automata.
Even first-person shooters, where you wouldn’t expect butts to be a focus, are still rendering amazing asses. Just look at Tracer or Widowmaker from Overwatch (now if there’s a game that’s weaponized thirst, it’s that one).
Modern gaming also brings the ultimate butt fantasy with character creators. What better way to enjoy great butts by putting one on a character of your creation.
Many games that feature a character creator will have a “butt slider” that allows you to adjust the size of your custom characters butt from bootylicious, all the way to “oh my God Becky!” You can even make your character’s butt as flat as a board if you want (but why though?).
It’s come to the point where not having a butt slider is can be seen as a major drawback (lookin’ at you Final Fantasy XIV).
You can almost say that we’re in a golden age of video game asses. These wonderfully round and delectably firm moons of virtual flesh are now fully on display in games for all to see and enjoy.
Whatever shape or size of butt you fancy: round, fat, firm, flabby, supple or bouncy— as well as whether it’s male or female booty, some video game out there likely has it. And even if you can’t a game with it, some other game will simply let you make it.
All you need to do is get a hold of that analog stick and plug that game in. Because video games are a thirsty medium.
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