Literature Review
Since videogames first made an appearance, there has been growing concern for the mental and physical wellbeing of videogame players. Such concerns often relate to ethical issues of cultist influences, sex, and - most prominently - violence. These troublesome topics are very much a worry to Christians, in relation to spiritual (as well as physical and mental) wellbeing. Yet do games actually influence players in such a way, that players take on the in-game characteristics as part of their own persona? Do they cause such drastic harm? Such questions can be difficult to answer, particularly in regards to Christian beliefs. That said, why are these stereotypes in place, and how they can be changed? What effects games actually have on game players, in relation to Christian practice?
Stereotypes stem quite often from the media’s presentation. The media generally present games in a negative light, referring to the perceived violent influence that games have had on criminals. This research can sometimes present unreliable information that consumers presume to be true. A study undertaken by Browne and Pennell (1995) explores ‘The effect of video violence on young offenders’, which contrasts to the image portrayed by the media. In their conclusion, they state that video games don’t cause violent behaviour, rather the player’s sociological background shows why they have an interest in games that contain violence.
This said, videogames still contain influential and problematic topics, however, they aren’t as clear cut as the media portrays. Games still have content which, from a Christian point of view, is seen as immoral and sinful. This along with the bad representation from the media can make many Christians believe that games are evil in its entirety. Bogost (2011) lists in his book ‘How to do things with Videogames’ a variety of alternative uses for videogames, which helps to balance the scales. He explains that games can be used for education, art, and empathy, as well as many others uses. His investigation into each area of use shows quite clearly that videogames aren’t bound by the media stereotypes, and that they can be used to benefit people.
Following on from this, in the book ‘Killing Monsters’ by Gerard Jones (2002), Ponton (foreword author) shows one example of how videogame violence – which many see as unacceptable – has been beneficial. She talks about a ten year old boy called Johnathan who was found to be excessively playing violent videogames. She later discovered that he was being bullied, and his way of coping with the problem was to escape into the gaming world. The violence gave him power, which temporarily erased his fears and problems. Game violence is still definitely an issue that should not be taken lightly, along with other distasteful topics in videogames. However, this example shows that before we judge a player based on what games they play, we should first explore why they play those games, and what they feel they get out of the experience.
Following on from the benefits of games, one particular example is that of Romines and Miko (2015). They take the extremely popular game ‘Minecraft’, and use it to help teach people about Bible stories, in their book that is rightfully named ‘The Unofficial Bible for Minecrafters’. The book itself is laid out much like a comic book, and all the images are taken from within the game. This book shows how games can be used to revere the Christian teachings of the Bible, and in turn helps to counter the stereotypical views on games, by showing that not all games portray an image of dangerous ethical topics.
For Christians, it can be very much a challenge to find games that are morally acceptable to play. The Christian Broadcasting Network (n.d.) explains the difficulties that Christian games developers encounter when creating games. For a start, ‘the current market for Christian videogames is small’. This could stem from the stereotypes of games, and the conception that games are purely for entertainment purposes. Nevertheless, Christians are beginning to grow to accept video games, and a rising number of companies are turning to games to spread the Christian message. There are still a number of misconceptions about videogames and their influences, but with Christian gamers supporting games, game stereotypes are beginning to change for the better.
Conclusion
The main hype on immoral content in videogames is fuelled mostly by the media and this (along with a lack of understanding of games) can lead to stereotypes that don’t accurately represent the industry. Such stereotypes can be changed by the use of videogames in a Christian context, which will visually display how games stereotypes are misinformed. Games also can benefit players by creating a space for self-exploration and emotional development, and can reveal personal real life problems which then can be dealt with. Also, lessons can be learnt from games, as with real life experiences. What is essential is a personal reflection of the gaming experience, in order to learn from what has transpired.
References
Bogost, I., 2011. How to do things with Videogames. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.
Jones, J., 2002. Killing Monsters: Why Children Need Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Make-Believe
Romines, G., Miko. C., 2015. The Unofficial Bible for Minecrafters: Stories from the Bible told block by block. Oxford: Lion Books.
Browne, K., Pennell, A., 1995. The Effects of Video Violence on Young Offenders. [PDF] Birmingham: Home Office. Available at: <http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20110220105210/rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs/r65.pdf> [Accessed 02/12/2015]
Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). 2015. God and Gaming: The Invasion of Christian Video Games. [Online] Available at: <http://www1.cbn.com/family/god-and-gaming%3A-the-invasion-of-christian-video-games> [Accessed 02/12/2015]
