Can a video game really help players develop a more compassionate perspective of complex problems such as immigration; or a deeper understanding of what is happening in Darfur? Will these games, finally, unravel the mystery of the Electoral College or help players understand each side of the conflict in the Middle East? That’s what the folks at sites like gamesforchange.org and peacemakergame.com are hoping.
Aimed at teens of voting age, this crop of social change games is designed to help young people make active connections with those that struggle simply because of their race or place in the world. They are also intended to help young people develop a more nuanced understanding of the social and political problems they will confront.
No there isn’t anything funny or playful about the subject matter of the games. What is important about them is the opportunity they provide for players to step out of their own shoes for the time it takes to play. Most games take thirty minutes or less to play but there are likely to be conversations and musings, based on the experience of playing that will last longer.
The games are particularly appealing now as young people are being forced to consider political challenges, ideas and possibilities that, in many cases, even their parents have never faced. With social change games, learning and staying informed can be fun.
For example - in ICED! (I Can End Deportation) the game helps players understand the challenges of being undocumented, players get a glimpse of what it would be like to be consumed by fear of deportation.
The game cuts through the politically charged labels placed on immigrants and reminds players of their most important labels of all – people, human beings. It also helps players understand the diversity among immigrants. For example, one character in the game ICED is a Japanese computer science student that may lose his student visa because he did not register for the required number of courses. Another character is a high school student detained by immigration authorities because of her school essay topic. Game programmers used real people and scenarios when developing ICED.
So back to our original question – can a video game really help create the social change and consciousness raising we need on so many fronts? It certainly couldn’t hurt. When the stacks are so high I say, leave no stone unturned. Technology has made so much possible in terms of opportunity. Perhaps social change will be the next frontier.
