Game Crush: Perversion or Playground?

I recently saw a video by YouTube vlogger Nixie Pixel, concerning a website called Game Crush, where gamers can connect with others, predominantly females, to play either console or flash games for a fee, which also covers the ability to send gifts, awards, even means of flirtation to members of interest.

Here's the video link if you'd like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpDg0rrRxdA&feature=BFa&list=HL1310652136&index=7

Originally launched as beta in March of 2010, it had resurfaced soon after, but finally went public in September of that year.  Even before its public release, Game Crush has gained its critics, be they on the fence, or completely slamming on it. After carefully looking over its details, I felt the following about it.

It sounds more like a social networking/dating site geared to a more exclusive crowd. If the companionship is more guaranteed than most other "dating sites," then I'm not certain if it could be considered prostitution, more than the founders monopolizing on gaming aspects like gifts and bonus items, the way you can see most social networking sites now offering "pay to play" options. If it's true that certain ones are getting paid to do this, then I'd have to heavily consider calling it prostitution by its definition. Otherwise, it’s at best eHarmony for gamers.

It’s not the first time an exclusive crowd’s been subject to pay for a chance to either make a connection,  or be satisfied with the illusion of intimate interaction with an attractive site member of their choice.  The latter would be more parallel with frequenters of gentleman’s clubs spending up to thousands on an hour or more on sexual illusions.

 Even virtual communities with  cash-to-credit options like IMVU and Second Life, could fall into this same crowd of network/dating sites, but again, Game Crush is clearly set on gamers of different varieties, whereas the virtual communes mentioned can have members that may have touched a joystick once in their lives, a quarter of them accidental.    

In the end, like most things, it’s a viable option for those that not only feel they’re fine enough with themselves to use the service, but can also afford it as well. To those that wish to see it by face value, or by those that simply feel they don’t personally need it, it’ll come into some degree of insults and defamation. Especially when you add the general stereotyped picture painted on the gaming community the site’s focused on.