Mystique (company)
Encyclopedia
Mystique was the name of a company that produced a number of pornographic
video games for the Atari 2600
, such as Beat 'Em & Eat 'Em
, Bachelor Party
and Custer's Revenge
. It was one of several video game companies
that tried to use sex
to sell its games. Mystique was an offshoot of Caballero Control Corporation, who produced pornographic films, and American Multiple Industries. The company's games were sold under the "Swedish
Erotica" banner, although they were programmed in the United States
, and manufactured in Hong Kong
.
According to industry watchers and critics, Mystique's game designs were generally simple, with crude graphics
and unexceptional gameplay.
Mystique's game Custer's Revenge
gained particular notoriety for its plot. In the game, the player controls the character of "Custer," a naked man sporting a cowboy hat
and a visible erection, obviously inspired by George Armstrong Custer
. Custer has to overcome various obstacles in order to have sex with a crudely depicted, large-breast
ed Native American
woman
who is tied to a cactus. The game prompted complaints from a number of groups - women's rights
, anti-pornography, Native American, and video game critics all made complaints.
Mystique went out of business during the video game crash of 1983. The rights to Mystique's games were sold to the Playaround
spin-off company, which continued the pornographic game line.
Pornography
Pornography or porn is the explicit portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual arousal and erotic satisfaction.Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animation, sound recording, film, video,...
video games for the Atari 2600
Atari 2600
The Atari 2600 is a video game console released in October 1977 by Atari, Inc. It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and cartridges containing game code, instead of having non-microprocessor dedicated hardware with all games built in...
, such as Beat 'Em & Eat 'Em
Beat 'Em & Eat 'Em
Beat 'Em and Eat 'Em is a pornographic video game developed for the Atari 2600 by Mystique. It was released in 1982. Although the game sold poorly upon release, its graphic nature has earned it a cult following and much infamy...
, Bachelor Party
Bachelor Party (video game)
Bachelor Party is an adult-themed video game for the Atari 2600 developed by Mystique.- Gameplay :The game is a simplified version of Breakout where the "ball" is made to look like a nude man and the "bricks" are made to look like nude women and the man bounces back and forth horizontally rather...
and Custer's Revenge
Custer's Revenge
Custer's Revenge is a controversial video game made for the Atari 2600 by Mystique, a company that produced a number of adult video game titles for the system...
. It was one of several video game companies
Video game developer
A video game developer is a software developer that creates video games. A developer may specialize in a certain video game console, such as Nintendo's Wii, Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, or may develop for a variety of systems, including personal computers.Most developers also...
that tried to use sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
to sell its games. Mystique was an offshoot of Caballero Control Corporation, who produced pornographic films, and American Multiple Industries. The company's games were sold under the "Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Erotica" banner, although they were programmed in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and manufactured in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
According to industry watchers and critics, Mystique's game designs were generally simple, with crude graphics
Computer graphics
Computer graphics are graphics created using computers and, more generally, the representation and manipulation of image data by a computer with help from specialized software and hardware....
and unexceptional gameplay.
Mystique's game Custer's Revenge
Custer's Revenge
Custer's Revenge is a controversial video game made for the Atari 2600 by Mystique, a company that produced a number of adult video game titles for the system...
gained particular notoriety for its plot. In the game, the player controls the character of "Custer," a naked man sporting a cowboy hat
Cowboy hat
The cowboy hat is a high-crowned, wide-brimmed hat best known as the defining piece of attire for the North American cowboy. Today it is worn by many people, and is particularly associated with ranch workers in the western and southern United States, western Canada and northern Mexico, with...
and a visible erection, obviously inspired by George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
. Custer has to overcome various obstacles in order to have sex with a crudely depicted, large-breast
Breast
The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...
ed Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
woman
Woman
A woman , pl: women is a female human. The term woman is usually reserved for an adult, with the term girl being the usual term for a female child or adolescent...
who is tied to a cactus. The game prompted complaints from a number of groups - women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
, anti-pornography, Native American, and video game critics all made complaints.
Mystique went out of business during the video game crash of 1983. The rights to Mystique's games were sold to the Playaround
Playaround
Playaround was formed from the ashes of Mystique, the first Atari 2600 adult videogame company. Playaround purchased the rights to Mystique's titles and released them as "double-enders" - extra-long cartridges that had a different game on each end...
spin-off company, which continued the pornographic game line.
See also
- Video games notable for negative reception
- Custer's RevengeCuster's RevengeCuster's Revenge is a controversial video game made for the Atari 2600 by Mystique, a company that produced a number of adult video game titles for the system...
- Beat 'Em & Eat 'EmBeat 'Em & Eat 'EmBeat 'Em and Eat 'Em is a pornographic video game developed for the Atari 2600 by Mystique. It was released in 1982. Although the game sold poorly upon release, its graphic nature has earned it a cult following and much infamy...
- Bachelor PartyBachelor Party (video game)Bachelor Party is an adult-themed video game for the Atari 2600 developed by Mystique.- Gameplay :The game is a simplified version of Breakout where the "ball" is made to look like a nude man and the "bricks" are made to look like nude women and the man bounces back and forth horizontally rather...
- Ian Bogost, "Atari Porn Games" November 16, 2007 at KotakuKotakuKotaku is a video games-focused blog. It is part of Gawker Media's "Gawker" network of sites, which also includes Gizmodo, Deadspin, Lifehacker, io9 and Jezebel. Named to CNET News' Blog 100, Kotaku is consistently listed in the top 40 of Technorati's Top 100...