The gaming industry has experienced exponential growth, with an estimated market value of $162 billion USD in 2020. The rise of mobile gaming, virtual reality, and cloud gaming platforms have made it easier than ever for people to access video games from anywhere in the world. As a result, gaming is now one of the most popular forms of entertainment among young adults and children alike.
While games are often considered harmless fun, they can also be a powerful tool for teaching important life lessons such as tolerance and equality. This essay will explore how emotional engagement in games can help players internalize these values through immersive storytelling, character development, and game mechanics.
Immersive Storytelling
One way that games promote tolerance and equality is through their ability to transport players into different worlds and perspectives. Many games feature diverse characters who come from different backgrounds, races, and sexualities. By allowing players to experience these characters' lives, they gain a better understanding of what it means to live in someone else's shoes.
The popular role-playing game "The Last of Us" follows Joel and Ellie, two survivors in a post-apocalyptic world where society has collapsed. While Joel initially sees Ellie as nothing more than a burden, he gradually learns to accept her as a friend and protector over time. Through this process, players get a firsthand look at the prejudices that exist between men and women, as well as the importance of accepting differences and learning to work together.
Character Development
Another way that games encourage tolerance and equality is through character development. In many games, players must make difficult choices that affect the outcome of the story. These decisions can include standing up for marginalized groups or fighting against oppression.
In the action-adventure game "Horizon Zero Dawn," players control Aloy, a young woman who sets out on a quest to discover her past. Along the way, she encounters various tribes who have been ostracized by society due to their beliefs or physical appearance. Players must decide whether to help these tribes or continue on their journey alone. This decision encourages empathy and compassion towards those who may be different from ourselves.
Game Mechanics
Some games use game mechanics to promote tolerance and equality.
In the strategy game "Civilization VI," players lead a civilization from the Stone Age to the Space Age while navigating diplomatic relationships with other countries. The game rewards players for building a diverse empire that includes people from all walks of life, rather than simply focusing on one race or culture.
Players can choose to engage in peaceful trade or military conflict depending on their preferences. By playing the game, players learn how to approach complex social issues with both caution and strength, promoting tolerance and equality in real life.
Emotional engagement in video games has the potential to teach valuable lessons about tolerance and equality. Through immersive storytelling, character development, and game mechanics, players can gain insight into the lives of others and develop a deeper understanding of what it means to accept differences. While not every game will address these topics explicitly, they are an important part of the gaming experience and can help shape our views on the world around us.
What role does emotional engagement in games play in the internalization of tolerance and equality values?
The role that emotional engagement plays in game settings can be quite important when it comes to teaching players about tolerance and equality. When gamers are immersed into a game world where they have to interact with characters from different backgrounds and cultures, it can help them learn more about these topics and foster a better understanding of them.