Intimacy Coordinators in Video Game Creation: A Look at Baldur's Gate 3 and the Debate Around AI Use

In the world of video game creation, technological advancements have transformed the way stories are told and characters are portrayed. With the recent release of Baldur's Gate 3, a new dimension has emerged in the form of using intimacy coordinators to oversee motion-captured performances of actors simulating various sex scenes.

The inclusion of these ultra-spicy scenes in video games also opens up a heated conversation around the use of digital likenesses and what rights and controls performers should have around the use of their images once a digital “double” of them exists.

The Buzz Around Baldur’s Gate 3

Look, we’ve all heard about the bear at this point. Baldur’s Gate 3 made it clear from their first preview that they were planning on wowing avid gamers with not just an immersive storyline and gorgeous gameplay but also by letting gamers embrace the perils of both love and war in intimate detail.

Very intimate detail.

Not only does the game allow you to romance any member of your party, including a druid in bear form, but it also allows players to select from six different genital options when creating their character.

On the one hand, this is a choice that allows Baldur’s Gate 3 to be a marvel of inclusive representation. Allowing players to build a character that feels true to the identity they want to play with, free of the bounds of “reality,” is one of those little things that makes roleplaying games so magnetic in the first place.

On the other hand, being able to swap in digital genitals and get down and dirty with eight different characters raises some signal flares about how the digital likenesses of the actors behind the animation can be used in a myriad of ways they may not have been before.

It also puts performers in a uniquely challenging position of having to simulate a lot of different intimate scenarios.

Intimacy Coordinators in Baldur's Gate 3: A New Frontier

Outside of in-game characters bear-ing it all (I’m so sorry), the Baldur’s Gate 3 team also broke ground on another video game industry first; hiring an intimacy coordinator.

Intimacy coordination has been slowly gaining ground in the entertainment industry, with significant progress made since the rise of #MeToo, but this project represents the first major video game release to discuss using an Intimacy Coordinator during their recording process.

In a BBC interview, two of the cast members, Jennifer English and Devora Wilde, opened up about what it was like to have the support of an intimacy coordinator during the recording of the game’s spiciest scenes.

"I never felt 'yuck' in a recording session at all,” Jennifer said. “And I've got quite a low 'yuck' threshold.”

Outside of providing movement coaching and on-set support for these scenes, one of the key responsibilities of an Intimacy Coordinator is to help provide the cast with full context for their performances and support their ability to give specific, ongoing consent to every way in which their performance will be used.

In the world of video games and other scenarios where digital versions of performances are used, this becomes infinitely more challenging with the rise of more advanced AI technologies that can recreate performances in ways we’ve never seen before.

The Debate Around AI and Actors' Likenesses

As of writing, the entertainment industry is in the midst of a historic labor movement, with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA, the union representing performing artists, both on strike against the AMPTP, a negotiating body representing most of the major Hollywood studios.

While the contract grievances currently in debate cover everything from meal breaks to residual payments, one of the buzziest topics for both unions is centered around “future-proofing” their contracts against the rise of AI.

For SAG-AFTRA, most of the concerns about AI center around the ability of studios to digitally “scan” performers and then own that likeness scan of them, effectively allowing the studio to use the digital version of that performer however the technology will allow them without the performer’s consent or knowledge.

According to Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, chief negotiator for SAG-AFTRA, the reported proposal from the AMPTP centered around background performers being “scanned, get paid for one day’s pay” and for that company to “own that scan of their image, their likeness, and to be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation.”

With the rise of artificial intelligence, the options for what can be done with these digital doubles only continue to expand, raising more and more concerns and debates around what protections and controls performers (or really anyone) should have about the use of their image.

With Digital Doubles, Consent is Critical

The potential for your acting performance to be chopped up and recreated in a completely new project without you knowing is a frightening concept for most actors, but it gets even more concerning for performers who have done simulated sex scenes or other intimate performances.

Up until now, open conversations around how an actor’s image or movement will be used once it’s been scanned have been primarily reserved for performers with powerful teams of lawyers. For stunt performers, background artists, and other actors, there is often little to no context given as to what will happen with their digital double in the final product and beyond.

How a person’s likeness exists in the world is an incredibly intimate thing, and for actors that allow the capture of performances of even more intimate acts, the ability to control how those performances will be used both now and in the future should be a frontline conversation, including whether genital-swapping will be on the table for your digital doppelganger.

What’s Next for Intimacy in Video Games

The introduction of intimacy coordinators in video game creation, as evidenced by Baldur's Gate 3, represents a positive step towards ethical storytelling and representation. It acknowledges the complexities of performing intimate scenes and the need for professional guidance in these scenarios.

Simultaneously, the evolving landscape of AI technology poses significant ethical dilemmas. The debate around using actors' likenesses without their permission is a critical issue that the industry must address with caution and sensitivity. As technology continues to advance, the importance of ethical considerations, transparency, and communication will only become more critical if we want to create great art and entertainment while minimizing potential harm to those creating it.

If you're looking for an intimacy coordinator to help you bring your creative vision to life while building a safe and consensual workspace, contact me here.