Image via Complex Original
Video games are not the simple toys past generations thought they were. They have the power to change the world. Visceral action games have the power to entertain and hone your senses, evocative games can elicit strong emotions, and games with a message can even incense players to act.
Games are still a young art form, like movies or comics in their infancies. But as they continue to become more and more popular, new kinds of games are emerging, and they’re challenging players to make the world a better place. And the reality is that any game—even the most unlikely—can change the world. Here’s how.
By teaching empathy
At their core video games are really just another way to tell a story, and empathy is one of the key components of any good yarn. Whether it’s a tale of revenge, a love story, a tragedy, or an adrenaline rush, you need to empathize with the characters on some level for the story to be memorable.
And that may even go doubly for games, since players don’t merely learn about the characters passively, but also control and inhabit them for long stretches of time.
And then there’s a game like IF, an upcoming iPad release from EA founder Trip Hawkins’ new company If You Can. Aimed at 6- to 12-year-olds, IF is designed specifically to teach kids about empathy. An entire generation raised on empathy as a core value will definitely make the world a better place.
By motivating people to be healthier
Obesity is a global epidemic, and video games may be the solution.
Whether you’re playing as the buff demigod Kratos or the scantily clad ladies of Dead or Alive, it’s hard to be satisfied with sitting on the couch when you’re staring at your virtual characters’ toned, fit bodies. And other games, like Just Dance, Dance Central, Xbox Fitness, and Wii Fit U, are aimed directly at players’ fat cells. Gamers all over the world no longer have any excuse to be out of shape.
Games are even being used by healthcare professionals for general physical activity, as well as physical and psychological therapy. “Gamification” isn’t a dirty buzz word when it comes to fitness—it’s just one way games are changing the world.
By inspiring people to solve problems
Game designer Jane McGonigal has a goal: she wants to “make it as easy to save the world in real life as it is to save the world in online games.” She’s presented her work and research findings in a much-discussed TED Talk, and she really believes that video games will make the world a better place.
If more players would play games for longer, she says, we’d be able to solve humanity’s biggest problems: hunger, climate change, obesity, global conflict, poverty, you name it. It sounds ridiculous, but she actually makes a convincing case about the state of mind of gamers and the benefits of playing games, like increased optimism and social skills. According to her, these are the traits that will save the world.
By increasing peoples' skills
Is it possible that gamers are leveling up just like their in-game avatars? Anyone can see how playing video games increases all sorts of real world skills, from hand-eye coordination to players’ reflexes and critical thinking skills. With no real consequences besides losing a game, players will try and try again, honing certain traits and learning through repetition.
Studies have even shown that surgeons who play video games perform better than those who don’t. With how many hours kids these days play games, the next generation of surgeons could be the most talented the world has ever seen.
Games can even improve users’ social skills, contrary to societal stereotypes. Players interact constantly in online games, and there’s nothing like a shared interest to break the ice.
By increasing awareness of important issues
In recent years, as indie games made by small teams (or even singular individuals) have grown ever more popular, games have become a new form of social expression—or, pardon the “A” word, a new art form. Great games let opinionated individuals share their viewpoint with the world, effecting social change the same way a documentary film or a well-researched piece of investigative journalism might.
For example a game like Papers, Please might make players think about immigration reform and racial prejudice. Gone Home tells a touching story about a gay teen seeking acceptance from her confused parents. The iOS game Blackbar uses simple word puzzles to tell a surprising tale about censorship and free thought. Just look at Games for Change for many more examples.
By making people curious
Video games make people happy. There’s no question about that. But it’s also important that they make people curious. When you’re curious, you're more likely to learn about the world around you—and people who understand the world around them can better contribute to society, making the world a better place.
Gamers have an innate sense of adventure, and under the right circumstances that trait can translate to the real world as well. Maybe you’re dying to visit Italy after playing Assassin’s Creed 2, or you suddenly start following current events more closely after completing the campaign in the latest Call of Duty game. Sometimes it’s as simple as visiting the wild west in a game like Red Dead Redemption and spending a few hours on Wikipedia as a result. Knowledge is power, after all.
By creating a global community
With the rise of online games comes the rise of a global gaming community. Just look at last year’s launch of Pokémon X and Y, the first games in the series to launch in Japan and the U.S. simultaneously.
In the past Japan got the games first and spent months finding all their secrets, so that by the time U.S. gamers got them all they had to do was go online any time they got stuck or had a question. This time, though, Pokémon fans felt like a real global community as they learned about the new games together.
And that’s just one example—look at World of Warcraft, a game that’s been bringing people all over the world together for almost a decade, for an even better one.
What other ways are games changing the world? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!