News: Religion in Video Games

[News Bot]

The Opposable Thumbs blog recently took a look at how religious themes are handled in video games. Most makers of mainstream games are hesitant, given the strong feelings of most consumers on the subject, but other companies are trying desperately to bring religion into the spotlight. Quoting: "Part of the problem is that the game industry is often touted as being a corrupting influence for the youth of the world. Criticism against the game industry has come from leaders as high up as the current Pope, and many of us who have been exposed to sermons bemoaning the influence that games and movies have on kids. Even when groups like the Christian Game Developers Foundation put out a video encouraging developers to create wholesome titles for kids, the attitude conveyed towards current members of the industry was contemptuous at best. Needless to say, games with heavy religious content are usually fringe projects, independently created and oftentimes sporting dodgy production values, because publishers wisely don't want to risk boycotts from legions of the faithful."


Read more of this story at Slashdot.

[Ze-Tomb]

Well for religion in games, Assassin's Creed crew (Ubisoft Montreal) pulled it off nicely. They have a variety, but a bit of a main focus in religion in AC.

[thoreau]

In EQ2 players can choose from a number of deities.

You can have an alter for your home where you offer up sacrifices (vendor trash usually) and in exchange you get 'favors.'

It's an excellent system.

[Vitas Antronius]

This article pertains to the inclusion of RL religions like Islam, Judeism and Christianity. In looking it up, Assasin's Creed takes place in Italy and is set to the Crusades.

But more than that I think that the article focuses on the viability of creating games with a RL religious morality and as a way to molify critics.

"Criticism against the game industry has come from leaders as high up as the current Pope, and many of us who have been exposed to sermons bemoaning the influence that games and movies have on kids."

Ze is right that RL religion is integrated in AC, however I think that few consider the Crusades as an example of admirable, high religious morality because of the liberal bloodshed and questionable motives. HOWEVER, with that being said, it could be a first step towards what the article is talking about.

Many, if not most, games include virtual deities and I think that an undercurrent of those who complain may very well be against the "contrived", destructive, evil or non-realistic moralities assigned to virtual make-believe religions.

Take an example that some of us here are familiar with: Lootius. This "deity" isn't really a deity at all in the minds of most if not all of it's "adherents." In fact, this "deity" is not mentioned once in ANY games official lore or backstory that I am aware of. However, those of RL faiths (i.e. Christianity's "... for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil...") would find Lootius abhorent and be extremely offended. [This actually may be the whole point of Lootius. If so, it's needlessly provocative and hurtful to some others.]

Most games I've played have had synthetic deities and if there were a mission-line or quest that made me uncomfortable I would avoid that mission-line or quest -- even if it meant not being able to finish the game. But I'm an adult.

Which highlights the main focus of the article: the fear that impressionable children could adopt, due to the underlying themes of games, an insensitivity to that which their parents find morally important.


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[MarieWoodell]

Originally Posted by Vitas Antronius

Take an example that some of us here are familiar with: Lootius. This "deity" isn't really a deity at all in the minds of most if not all of it's "adherents." In fact, this "deity" is not mentioned once in ANY games official lore or backstory that I am aware of. However, those of RL faiths (i.e. Christianity's "... for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil...") would find Lootius abhorent and be extremely offended. [This actually may be the whole point of Lootius. If so, it's needlessly provocative and hurtful to some others.]

Most games I've played have had synthetic deities and if there were a mission-line or quest that made me uncomfortable I would avoid that mission-line or quest -- even if it meant not being able to finish the game. But I'm an adult.

Which highlights the main focus of the article: the fear that impressionable children could adopt, due to the underlying themes of games, an insensitivity to that which their parents find morally important.


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I think you hit the nail on the head with that last part. The problem religiona have currently is that only Virtual religions are displayed if there is any form of deity at all leading impressionable people to believe things their parents may dissaprove of.

I think its more of a problem that anything that does seem to be moral often tends to also be crap. Until other religions learn to make games, films books etc on a similar level to everyone else they are going to find they are a bit left out.

[thoreau]

Originally Posted by Vitas Antronius

Most games I've played have had synthetic deities and if there were a mission-line or quest that made me uncomfortable I would avoid that mission-line or quest -- even if it meant not being able to finish the game. But I'm an adult. /

Do you feel 'uncomfortable' when you're asked to kill 10 rats? What about 10 elves? 10 humans?

[MarieWoodell]

Originally Posted by thoreau

Do you feel 'uncomfortable' when you're asked to kill 10 rats? What about 10 elves? 10 humans?

Not when asked to kill ten rats but yes humand or elves I would feel uncomfortable about.

Not entirely sure what you are getting at though. You trying to say that morals often guide our decisions as much as religions?

[thoreau]

Originally Posted by MarieWoodell

Not when asked to kill ten rats but yes humand or elves I would feel uncomfortable about.

Not entirely sure what you are getting at though. You trying to say that morals often guide our decisions as much as religions?

I guess I'm interested in what makes you uncomfortable when playing an MMO (with regards to doing 'virtual' things) and how that ties in with religion.

[Ze-Tomb]

Originally Posted by thoreau

I guess I'm interested in what makes you uncomfortable when playing an MMO (with regards to doing 'virtual' things) and how that ties in with religion.

For me, nothing in a virtual world makes me uncomfortable. No sorts of religion, dieties or rat killing missions.

[basujanha2610]

its a very bad thing!

this increases the difference between us!

we should be careful abt tht!