Skyrim lets you be whatever you want to be, even if what you want to be is a murderer who keeps heads on shelves.

From whatever angle you choose to examine it, Skyrim is an incredible accomplishment. Bethesda, the company behind this RPG masterpiece, has managed to build an active, engaging environment in which the player is free to choose his or her own destiny. You can play Skyrim for hundreds of hours and never even touch the main storyline – the game is just that expansive. This freedom, as with previous Elder Scrolls games, has led some players to find new and interesting ways in which to spend their time in Skyrim, some of which extend far beyond the developers’ original intentions.

For example, one player has elected to progress through the game without killing any of the creatures or non-playable characters that exist within its world. Another is crashing through the woods naked, using only his fists and determination to bring down dragons and other powerful foes. And one, oddly enough, has decided to become Skyrim’s resident serial-killer-in-chief.

If you haven’t seen the video of this player’s “collection,” you should check it out now. In the clip, YouTube user Symixable shows off his house in Markarth, which just so happens to be decorated with the decapitated corpses of women. It’s in-game footage, but it may be unsettling to those that are uncomfortable with immense levels of creeper.

As you can see in the clip, young Symixable has carefully arranged the bodies of his victims around his home – the heads, of course, are kept on shelves. It’s a unique, if bizarre way to spend one’s time in a video game, and the video posting created a minor Internet firestorm as different game sites latched on to the video to offer their comments. But one thing no one seems to have mentioned is perhaps the creepiest part of the entire thing; namely, Symixable’s habits reflect those of a real-life serial killer.

In the 1980s, prominent psychologists published what is now known as the Holmes and Holmes Serial Killer Typology – essentially, a classification system for serial killers, which now serves as the basis for FBI serial killer typology. According to Holmes and Holmes, there are four types of serial killers; each group is distinguished by their motivation for killing and the nature of the crimes themselves. Symixable’s in-game actions actually fit into a specific serial killer niche laid out by Holmes and Holmes, the “Hedonistic Killer, Lust Subtype.”

Here’s some elaboration on what that actually means (warning, creepy): Hedonistic-Lust killers primarily commit murder for sexual gratification, which can occur at any stage of the kill. For example, this type of serial killer may experience sexual arousal or orgasm during the kill or may engage in sexual activity with the bodies of his victims. Most Hedonistic-Lust killers have an ideal victim type (IVT), meaning they tend to kill persons with similar demographic characteristics. Further, Hedonistic-Lust killers are usually organized or even ritualized in their killing, are geographically stable, and fantasize about their killing activity. The process of killing and the prolonging of the killing fantasy are often more satisfying than the murder itself. Jeffrey Dahmer and Buffalo Bill from “Silence of the Lambs” are two examples of classic Hedonistic-Lust killers.

Symixable is following known patterns of this Hedonistic-Lust killing behavior. He has an IVT, a ritualized and process-focused method of killing, and there are overt sexual elements to his murders. The collection of bodies in Symixable’s home mirrors the escalation pattern of Hedonistic-Lust serial killers. At the onset of the video, we see several bodies clumsily leaning against the wall of his home and one body lying in a lit fireplace. As we move through the home, we see victims neatly posed at the dinner table, and finally move into the bedroom where a pair of bodies has been meticulously staged within the bed canopy. In real life, Hedonistic-Lust killers perfect their kills over time, becoming increasingly confident and particular as their body count rises. They also often keep tokens or trophies as a way to relive the sexual excitement of the actual murders.

In accordance with known Hedonistic-Lust profiles, Symixable most likely killed the housecarl Lydia first. Her character arrives early in most Skyrim games and she is always available in the gamer’s house. In Symixable’s house, Lydia is among the first, haphazard group of bodies and her head at the bottom of the bookcase, which may indicate it was one of the first placed there. As Symixable progressed through the game, he began to enjoy the process of decapitating, stripping, and posing dead women. He most likely traveled to specific locations to hunt women that matched his IVT, and grew increasingly intricate in the manner he dealt with their deceased bodies. Basically, at some point Symixable found this fun, and it is worth iterating real Hedonistic-Lust personalities begin feeding their sexually violent impulses through fantasies.

What’s truly interesting here is that while Symixable’s behavior mirrors that of a real-life serial killer, he probably has no clue that he fits so snugly into an established archetype. And it’s fair to note that video games have made murderers of us all in one way or another – we’re not suggesting that Symixable’s friends or girlfriend request a chaperone on their next camping trip. It’s just curious to see how some people’s darkest fantasies can manifest in a digital world. That’s one of the true successes of Skyrim – you can be a hero, but you can also be a villain. But perhaps, in becoming a villain, you’ll lay bare some elements of your personality you would have rather kept hidden.

This video raises tons of questions. For instance, would a game like Skyrim function as a gateway drug for a real serial killer? Could an actual murderer perfect his technique in an online world? Alternatively, are our in-game behaviors simply a way of exorcising our demons without causing harm to others? Killers are known to begin with fantasy and work their way up to the actual deed – is there an argument against Skyrim’s freedom in the actions of this one player? Or are these actions evidence of the brilliance of its design? This discussion goes far beyond the now-boring “violence in games” debate.

Skyrim’s infinite freedom to be violent and weird likely won’t influence anyone to do things they wouldn’t have otherwise done, but it could be the catalyst that finally brings their darkest fantasies to the surface. This possibility is both good and bad – on the one hand, a serial killer murdering NPCs is one less serial killer on the streets. On the other, practice does make perfect, and Skyrim provides hours of consequence free trial and error.

Bethesda hasn’t made any comment on the serial killer issue and they probably shouldn’t – a gaming company isn’t responsible for the way in which their fans interact with their creation. However, there’s certainly an ethical issue to be discussed, regarding whether a game like Skyrim is an enabler or a release. Are there in-game behaviors that indicate someone is going to have issues fitting into society, and should parents, game companies and other gamers be aware of those patterns? Does it matter what people do in games? And is being a serial killer in one game any worse than murdering people with a dildo in another?

Decapitating women and keeping their heads on shelves sure seems strange, but is it really that much worse than anything else we’ve done in games? Is it a glaring red flag, or just one more player using the tools he’s been given?

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Sources:

— Holmes, R.M., & Holmes, S.T. (2010). Serial murder (3rd ed.). Thousand-Oaks, CA: Sage.

— Iaccino, J.F., & Dondero, J. (2011). An examination of cinematic serial killers using a serial killer typology with associated characteristics.
Presented at the American Psychological Association 2011 Annual Convention, Washington, D.C.