After looking at sexuality and video games, I got a little curious about what conservative religious groups are doing with video games. I imagine there’s some controversy over material appropriateness etc, but I also imagine that there are several conservative religious organizations creating their own material.
In God in the Console (2003), Tom Loftus argues that some mainstream videogames contain subtle religious messages. He also highlights games that have been created from mainstream games only retooled to have religious themes. Based on the Loftus article and Jeremy Lemer’s Religion goes digital in faith-based computer games (2005), it sounds like the messages can take the form of the dominant narrative or just be a subtle backdrop to more traditional video game action.
According to Chris Morris at CNN, video games and religion can’t really play together (2005). However, the best-selling Left Behind franchise (you know, that one about the rapture) apparently came out with its own video game last year– and just in time for Christmas! This one apparently creates contraversy on all side of the fence:
The game rewards children for how effectively they role play the killing of those who resist becoming a born again Christian. The game also offers players the opportunity to switch sides and fight for the army of the AntiChrist, releasing cloven-hoofed demons who feast on conservative Christians and their panicked proselytes (who taste a lot like Christian)…The dialogue includes people saying, “Praise the Lord,” as they blow infidels away.
– From The Purpose Driven Life Takers by Jonathan Hutson
And just like the other video games of the world, Left Behind: Eternal Forces comes complete with its own in-game advertising.
Now, I’m also assuming that there are probably peace related games and the like which may be backed by religious groups as well, both conservative and liberal. The more controversial ones just happened to be what came up the most on google and in the news. I’m sure we’re all surprised by that. ;)
More Links:
The Christian Game Developers Conference
The Christian Game Developers Foundation
Left Behind Games
1 response so far ↓
1 Garrison // Apr 30, 2007 at 3:26 pm
There’s so much to say about this. But let me start with this bit of related news, via the industry-insider website nex-gen.biz:
“Faith-based game company Left Behind Games has let go of its senior VP, president and three board members as part of significant top-level management restructuring.”
They add that “[i]n February this year, Left Behind Games posted a $4.1 million loss for its fiscal third quarter.”
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