1. NARRATIVE ESSAY

Controversies in the field of video games

Ever since the birth of video games as they are known now, controversies have sprung up around the industry. Their effects on the general populace are constantly placed on the spotlight and are either praised or cursed. Some claim video games are capable of bringing forth healing and dexterity. Others ensure the audience that video games can cause traumatic mental disorders and ultimately death. At the end of the day, however, the question remains open for elongated debates: Do video games create positive or damaging interactions? There are many essays and videos expanding upon several of the most famous controversies related to this question, but this essay will touch upon a more obscure branch of the subject. If left unchecked, video games can morph a player’s morality by attempting to coax their subconscious into believing certain methods, dangling prizes that make them act certain ways, or even unknowingly changing a player’s outlook in what is wrong and what is right.

For many, video games are simple forms of entertainment, but governments and companies have used them to change the player’s very thoughts upon other controversial issues. For instance, the American government released a game called America’s Army in 2002 meant to aid in the recruitment of young low middle-class Americans that did not yet know what they wished to do with their lives. Rather than mere fun, the game was designed to coax them into desiring a life in the first line. It glorified the idea of serving their country and reduced the negative points that life as a soldier could bring. It did face the dangers that came with being a soldier, but it disregarded the moral decisions that arose with joining. By enhancing the satisfaction and rewards of being a ‘life-saving’ hero, this moral decision of needing to leave your family behind and take someone else’s life is minimized and could sometimes even be overridden. Some might say war games tend to do this quite a bit, but it must be remembered that this game was specifically created for this very purpose. 

A newer example and one that holds no regard for keeping their ultimate goal under wraps is called Sesame Credit. This game was released in China and was meant to become obligatory for all citizens in 2020. This propaganda game is a cross between a virtual and real life game in which an app keeps track of the player’s social interactions and economic decisions. It knows who they talk to and what they talk about. Using this information, it generates a score that gives the player a certain status within the chinese government. If the player shares a pro-Chinese post, they earn points. If they share one against a common ideology the government wishes to expand, they lose points. Furthermore, if they happen to talk to someone with a much lower score, they also lose points. This then ensures that those that do not follow these norms placed by the game are outcasted from the main body of society by their peers. Why? Mainly because of the positive reinforcement the game offers to those that adhere to the game. A reduction in taxes, discounts, future paid vacations. Now, a kinder example is Pokemon Go in which the players were enticed to leave their homes and walk around in order to attain pokemons and levels. Though much weaker than Sesame Street’s approach, the developers managed to move a vast number of individuals that would have otherwise refused to socialize or exercise at all. It made the player believe that moving around and talking to others that had their same interest was appealing and correct. Of course, it is important to note that Pokemon Go’s global impact did not have an extended effect on those that have stopped playing.

Finally, not all propaganda video games were made with the idea of changing a player's morals or actions in mind. Rather, the developers in these games either did not see what the game could potentially create or did not particularly care. The most common example of this is a game called Call of Juarez: The Cartel in 2011. Apart from an obviously weak narrative and lazy design, this first person shooter presents the player with wave after wave of enemies. Interestingly enough, the protagonist is white and must consistently kill African Americans and Hispanics in order to pass levels. Every single level is about how these minorities are only petty criminals and can do no good to society. The best thing that can be done is simply put them down. Again, it is well known that many games follow these rules, but as youtube channel Extra Credits would say, this is only “lazy design.” Even in triple A games such as the Call of Duty franchise select a basic stereotype and continually request the player to aniquilate them. In these games, the player is merely told “those are the bad guys because they are muslim. Kill them.” This, in turn, could potentially lead to misinterpreting who Muslims are and creating a subconscious hatred towards these specific people. 

In conclusion, video games can indeed be used to alter an individual’s morality system and their very actions. It is not about forcing them to believe certain ways by bending their wills, but indoctrinating them by feeding them information such as all hispanics and muslims are bad for society. Furthermore, through repeated actions, positive reinforcement and even negative reinforcement, a player’s outlook in life may be morphed into what the game designer wishes them to believe. That is not to say that all video games may have a bad influence on players' thoughts and actions. After all, there are some such as Pokemon Go that have quite the opposite effect.