{"id":26937,"date":"2020-04-26T10:00:57","date_gmt":"2020-04-26T09:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.redpepper.org.uk\/?p=26937"},"modified":"2023-10-09T09:22:57","modified_gmt":"2023-10-09T08:22:57","slug":"can-video-games-change-the-wolrd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redpepper.org.uk\/culture-media\/technology\/can-video-games-change-the-wolrd\/","title":{"rendered":"Can video games change the world?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the popular imaginary, video games are often considered to be a base form of popular entertainment \u2013 a niche activity enjoyed mainly by teens. It\u2019s a dangerous underestimation: as Jamal Stone explains<\/a>, video games are for everyone \u2013 one in three people globally, to be precise. This \u00a32.87 billion industry<\/a> (in the UK alone) demands our attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our series on video games, first published in Issue 227<\/a> and guest edited by Marzena Zukowska, is an overdue course correction: Red Pepper<\/em> has never before covered video games in depth. And yet they are perhaps the most ubiquitous \u2013 if not the most powerful \u2013 form of modern entertainment. We carry around computers with inbuilt games in our pockets, in our backpacks and briefcases. Our living rooms and offices are equipped with machines designed to facilitate play. As contributors detail on our website, such play has potential to inform ideas, establish ideals, build community \u2013 through empathy and collaboration \u2013 even save the world (we\u2019ve moved beyond rescuing the princess).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As much as TV, film, theatre, music and the arts more broadly, video games are already shaping our politics. This shouldn\u2019t be much of a surprise. After all, throughout history people have used play and games to communicate particular ways of understanding the world and acting in it. Pictionary and charades are forums for establishing shared perspectives and reference points, potent tools for socialisation. Versions of those games exist the world over, though the content varies from place to place. They are tests of in-group belonging as much as fun ways to pass the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As much as TV, film, theatre, music and the arts more broadly, video games are already shaping our politics<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of 20th century board games, the massive popularity of Monopoly<\/em>, Battleship<\/em>, Risk<\/em> or The Game of Life<\/em> was not incidental to the deep entrenchment of social norms, of militarism, empire-building, capitalism or heteronormativity. They were \u2013 and still are \u2013 wrapped up in it, winners rewarded for ideological compliance as much as in paper money or plastic warships. Table-top games are experiencing something of a renaissance, with specialist shops and cafes popping up around the UK to colonise an island (Settlers of Catan<\/em>), cooperate to stop the spread of a virus (Pandemic<\/em>), or negotiate alliances and backstab \u2018allies\u2019 at the outbreak of war (Diplomacy<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All people play. Video game developers certainly have all people in their sights. They\u2019re making games for the young and the old, products that provide \u2018entertainment\u2019 as well as hardware and software for loftier purposes \u2013 to help hone memory and motor skills, or provide therapeutic experiences. Game makers are chasing markets, too, of course, selling in-app purchases in \u2018free\u2019 mobile games based on your browsing history \u2013 or simply selling your browsing history (be careful what permissions you grant when playing Facebook games with friends).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Games \u2013 whether physical or digital \u2013 are forums for experimentation and interaction with different worlds, different worldviews. It stands to reason that some of those can be subversive; that games can offer exciting avenues towards radical ways of thinking. We should take them seriously, as integral cultural and political features. So get ready, player one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This article first appeared in Issue 227, Spring 2020, Democratic Dictators<\/em>. Subscribe today<\/a> to get great content hot off the press!<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

 <\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Siobh\u00e1n McGuirk introduces our series on the politics of video games by asking ‘can video games change the world?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":33,"featured_media":39247,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[356,295],"tags":[2567],"class_list":["post-26937","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-capitalism","category-technology","tag-siobhan-mcguirk"],"yoast_head":"\nCan video games change the world? - Red Pepper<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Siobh\u00e1n McGuirk introduces our series on the politics of video games by asking 'can video games change the world?\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/rpdev2023.redpepper.org.uk\/culture-media\/technology\/can-video-games-change-the-wolrd\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Can video games change the world? 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