Case study – MacPlaymate (1986)
MacPlaymate is a
point-and-click game developed by Mike Saenz,
CEO of Reactor Inc. During the 1980s and 1990s, he developed and released
CD-ROMs, including some of the earliest interactive adult games: MacPlaymate (1986), Virtual Valerie (1990), and Virtual Valerie 2 (1995). Context The artist and software designer began illustrating comics with a computer program shortly after acquiring an Apple Macintosh (1984). He experimented with the Macintosh 512, pushing the limits of what was possible with its limited memory and disk space, drawing inspiration from Playboy magazines. His goal was to create a repetitive and experimental game that would capture players’ attention. In just two weeks, he programmed the erotic and interactive game MacPlaymate. In 1987, Saenz and his associates began selling disks containing the game for $50, ultimately earning $60,000. Due to its popularity, MacPlaymate became one of the most pirated programs of the time, sparking several controversies. Among them were suspicions of unauthorized use by MacroMind (though no legal action was taken) and the game’s use in inappropriate settings. Many male office employees played it at work, prompting complaints from female colleagues, who reported it as sexual harassment and pointed to the emergence of sexist norms in the workplace (Morrison 1988). Ironically, Penthouse and Playboy later drew inspiration from Saenz’s erotic creations, investing in erotic interactive fiction themselves (
MEL Magazine 2016). Description The game consists of a series of options that can be used on a character (Maxie/Maxine), featuring a variety of objects and sex toys, animations, lingerie, and potential partners. Everything begins on a screen composed of a toybox, a menu bar, and a display where Maxie is lying down. It is possible to select animations from the “Watch Me” menu (which correspond to different ways for Maxie to masturbate in various outfits). The “Costumes” and “Sexual Partners” menus allow players to change Maxie’s lingerie and her partners (Lola or Melvin). For each animation category, players are encouraged to use the toys from the toybox to bring Valerie to orgasm. There is nothing else to do or explore in the tested version. The sound design (Maxie is voiced by Raquel Shapira) somewhat supports the game’s immersiveness, which is quickly limited by the lack of narrative. Note: The version of the game tested in the context of this study may be incomplete. References: Morrison, Patt. “MacPlaymate: Is It Software or Hard Porn ?” Orlando Sentinel, November 28 1988.
MEL Magazine. “Long Before Internet Porn, There Was ‘MacPlaymate.’” September 22 2016. Accessed April 29 2023. Saenz, Mike. Interview by Laura Grindstaff and Julie Palsmeier. “A Conversation with Mike Saenz.” Nideffer.net. Accessed May 22 2025.
