How can games explore serious themes and big ideas?

Video games have changed a lot. Before, they were such huge time killers, now they can explore deep concepts due to changing technology. From loneliness to ethics, you wouldn't expect a video game to talk about that! With gaming, they are perfect for sharing ideas with the youth demographic also known as the ‘new generation of humanity’. Young people can change the future and also face a lot of difficulties, especially in the modern ‘internet culture’. (sorry if I sound like a ‘Boomer’)

Video games are useful for discreetly talking about difficult concepts like life and its struggles. One game, Sea of Solitude, is an artistic representation of loneliness. It’s not meant to be fun, it’s meant to spread a message. While the gameplay is simple, the story is more complex and can take quite a dark turn when exploring the main character’s story. You don’t fight the monsters, you have to try and avoid them or use the light which can be scary. Also, Sea of Solitude tackles being lonely. Since feeling is only short term while being is long term, the game tries to show us that we can take control of our emotions and remember that nothing lasts forever. (1)

They can also subtly squeeze in big issues in fun games to spread awareness. The game, Big Pharma, makes the player ask questions about business and ethics. Many big pharmaceutical companies are accused of selling prescription drugs for profit and making money out of illness. Big Pharma squeezes the idea of dishonesty into a tycoon style game. Doing so, it helps gamers understand the shady side of ‘good’ industries such as ‘gagging clauses’ for patients that report bad side effects of drugs and the extortionate prices that come from 20 year patents. (2)

With so many people playing games now, designers need to put big ideas and important values in their games. Games in many ways can reflect how we are and who we are in real life. Eric Zimmerman is a somewhat famous game designer. He thinks that as video games are such an important part of pop culture, they should promote the values that our culture should have. Zimmerman says, “When I hear the word “game,” I hear the word “image.” Do images have the potential to help us grow? Do words have the potential to make us grow? In the right context, yes, absolutely — from studying a text to having a meaningful conversation or reading a newspaper article that gives us a new perspective.” Zimmerman means that games are like books and can give us meaning. If you feel sad or frustrated and play a game, it can change how you feel or think in the moment. When you’re feeling like that, all you need sometimes is a fresh perspective which can change your mindset. (3)

Overall, I believe that games are as useful as books and movies in handling big topics. Games are an art form and they are more than ‘time-wasters’. They can share great ideas without you even noticing it! Unfortunately, society isn’t quite noticing gaming in this way yet.

Footnotes:

1. Lang, 2019, Sea of Solitude Review, Critical Hit Gaming, viewed 18th June 2020, <https://www.criticalhit.net/review/sea-of-solitude-review/>
2. Alexander, L 2014, New social issue games tackle education big pharma, Gamasutra, viewed 18th, June 2020, <https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/228463/New_social_issue_games_tackle_education_big_pharma.php>
3. Klug, S 2020, A Veteran Video Game Designer on Why We Play, OneZero Medium, viewed 18th June 2020, <https://onezero.medium.com/a-veteran-video-game-designer-on-why-we-play-54b25f7a5fc0>