How to use video games for the greater good
It’s the midst of a stormy winter, and the leader of a refugee group has succeeded in taking control of a power generator reserved for the wealthy. As the cold intensifies, he/she needs to manage the city where citizens now have equal rights. But the population grows divided as the city needs to absorb new waves of refugees seeking shelter.
This isn’t real life but the third scenario of Frostpunk, a city-building survival game developed by 11 bit studios and released by Microsoft Windows in April of last year. This game caught my attention as it generated a peak of searches related to the word “refugees” on Google.
To be clear, the audience of this game isn’t particularly interested in actual refugee issues. The reason why people search “frostpunk refugees” online is mostly to find tips; discussions on forums indicate that players struggle with a part of the game in which they need to deal with wounded refugees.
A good reality-check
This spike is interesting because it provides a good reality check. Refugees aren’t just mentioned in news related to conflict and displacement. They’re also part of popular culture. Frostpunk is one example, but other rising search trends of the past year included a Indian-Punjabi movie and a best-selling novel by Alan Gratz.
This peak also reminds us that video games are a huge thing. The video game industry is experiencing remarkable growth. People spend hours a day, weeks a year, just playing. In the US alone, 70% of the population plays video games in one form or another.
The nonprofit sector is only slowly starting to see gaming companies as non-traditional partners and players as a potential audience. Yet, video games can be used for the greater good in at least three ways, tapping into their 1) economy, 2) technology and 3) culture.
1) Steer the economy of video games towards a good cause
Video games are a source of revenue. Watching other people playing video games on livestreaming platforms like Twitch is now a $10 billion industry. A few nonprofits have already understood the opportunity in this. MSF France recently partnered with a dozen professional gamers who raised more than $1 million during a 50-hour gaming marathon in which they asked their fans to donate. Watching their emotion upon reaching their goal is truly uplifting.
Besides streaming, there are other ways of making the worlds of gaming and aid come together for a good cause. During the Ebola outbreak, World of Warcraft raised $1.9 million for the American Red Cross by introducing a cute goat space explorer named Argi, which players could purchase to support efforts to combat the virus. Great proof that a bit of fun can work wonders.
2) Use the technology of video games to solve real-life challenges
Video games can help find solutions to real-life problems. Gaming companies develop fascinating problem-solving algorithms; gamers provide brainpower. When thousands of people explore ways of winning a game, it can lead to groundbreaking discoveries. Gamers have been able to solve scientific puzzles, find cures to diseases and discover new planets when no one else could.
This is also true for the delivery of aid. The Missing Maps project, in collaboration with OpenStreetMap, organizes events where amateur and more experienced players spot remote villages and roads on online maps to improve the work of humanitarian organizations.
We can also imagine that games with algorithms that recreate real-life patterns could help simulate emergency situations to deal more effectively with refugee arrivals or anticipate security and health issues in refugee camps.
3) Tap into the culture of video games to reach new audiences
Video games present opportunities to make broader audiences aware of world issues. Some nonprofits decide to launch their own video games. This is the case of WFP’s Food Force in which players distribute food in famine-affected countries. While such games are good educational tools they rarely are entertaining enough to reach the broader public. Others aim to influence the content of existing games. The Red Cross does interesting work with war game developers to promote the respect of humanitarian law.
Video games are also a window into a whole world with its own cultural codes, heroes and history. These codes can be used to create content that resonates with communities of gamers and beyond and insert advocacy messages into the pop culture space. For example, the “floss dance” move, which became very popular among kids after being featured in the game Fortnite was used by UK students in a campaign for school funding.
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Video games can be a force for good. Of course, bridging the aid and gaming worlds isn’t straightforward; it has to be a win-win scenario. Games should remain fun and nonprofits shouldn’t feel like they are compromising their values. Concerns over violence in video games are real and may lead some to legitimately refuse to engage with players and gaming companies. But it’s also important not to expect video games to project a world founded on steadfast moral values and universal love. With some creativity, video games can provide a great source of revenue, problem-solving and cultural connection — all key elements to stay ahead of the game.
