Key points
The emergence of “newsgames,” or games that utilize
journalistic principles, is obviously a relatively new phenomenon that started
in the early 2000’s when technology, especially video games, was quickly on the
rise. The games tend to focus on a specific social issue or a real life story,
and can be as simple as a quiz to as complex as a full-blown video game.
Newsgames offer journalists and news organization a way to ensure that
audiences will engage in the subject matter, as video games transform the news
into an interactive experience that the user is a part of. This inspires
emotion and empathy, especially when it comes to social situations that one
does not particularly understand/is not well informed on.
Example 1
Take for example Snowden Run 3D, a game created
after Edward Snowden leaked a massive amount of NSA data in order to expose
their shady data collecting methods. The game is on the Android and Apple
store, and is an endless runner similar to Temple Run (which I know everyone in
here has played). There are upgrades, vehicles you can drive, power-ups (one of
which is the “Iron Putin,” and destroys every obstacle in your path), and a
leaderboard, all of which contribute to an addicting game with much more to say
about the broader social issues behind the Snowden leaks.
Example 2
Another example of gaming being used in news narratives
comes from the website gamesforchange.org,
which is an entire website devoted to “catalyzing social impact through digital
games.” The site helps to create and distribute socially impactful games that
are meant to increase awareness and knowledge about a certain issue, event,
etc., and is run by a non-profit organization that also goes by the name Games
For Change. In addition to creating and distributing games the organization
also builds and shares replicable model for such games, in order to advance the
field and inspire public participation. While many news organizations and
inspired individuals have created socially impactful games, there is no other
website like gamesforchange.org that is purely dedicated to educating Americans
on social issues through games. The organization views these games as essential
tools in humanitarian and education efforts.
The Potential
The potential for newsgames and other emergent genres is
very high, especially when it comes to public engagement of news. The use of
such games allows the audience to interact with and relate to the subject matter,
rather than just having information unloaded onto them. This engages the viewer
and forces him or her to pay attention and participate, which lets the viewer
retain the information and understand the topic at hand. Gamesforchange.org is
a unique website that could have so much potential. It gives people an
experience that news organizations cannot offer, and evokes emotion and empathy
in the audience. Topics that are fairly unrelatable become personalized in a
way, and the news is transformed into an experience in which the viewer makes
the choices instead of having everything chosen for him or her. These types of
games actually make an effort to get people to understand the information,
situation, issues, etc., rather than just relaying information to an uncaring
audience.
Links to resources:
Questions:
-Do you believe that these newsgames are an effective source
of news? Is it something that more news organizations should implement? Why or
why not?
-How do you think these games can be better utilized to
generate increased engagement with the news? Do you think the games can
encourage better engagement at all?
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