Get real - gaming in the real world

Government smackdown

Nevertheless, the fear of gaming has already leapt beyond media scare campaigns, and governments are taking steps to combat the alleged threat. In July 2002, Greece banned computer games entirely in a blanket attempt to prevent online gambling, which was already itself illegal. No distinction was made between Solitaire and Stud Poker – everything was tarred with the same brush. The European Commission took Greece to the European Court over this decision, and the law has since been suspended and is no longer being enforced. In practice, it appears common sense had already prevailed, with cases against cybercafés thrown out of court and politicians claiming that gaming at home would be left unchecked.

However, the Chinese government has been much more successful in its curbing of the freedom to game, as might be expected for a totalitarian regime. In August 2005, China announced a system limiting online gameplay to three consecutive hours. It does this by cutting the online character’s abilities by half after three hours, and then to the lowest level allowed by the game after five hours. Players then have to log off for a minimum of five hours before the system resets. Around 50 per cent of Chinese gamers are happy to be constrained by the system. However, around 14 per cent are already getting round it by using multiple accounts, so it isn’t exactly bullet proof.

The US government is clearly convinced that games have the potential to effect reality, too. It’s no secret that America’s Army was created entirely as a new digital form of propaganda to entice youngsters to join the armed forces. There’s no evidence that it has been a success in this, but the game itself has become very popular, with more than 7 million registered players. The US religious right clearly think games can influence beliefs.

Left Behind: Eternal Forces gives players the task of converting 500 square blocks of New York City to Christianity, or killing those who refuse. Its authors see games as a powerful new way of proselytising to the young. Ironically, you can switch sides and play the AntiChrist instead… Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition! America isn’t the only country which reckons games can influence young minds in a positive direction, either. A Syrian game called al-Quraysh from Afkar media is an RTS about early years of Islam, intended to educate young Muslims and build a sense of pride in their own culture.

What exactly is seen as the power of games? Although these cases of murder and death from exhaustion are real, the number of them is hardly enough to indicate an epidemic. But the sheer economic success of the games industry has made it a cultural force. The question remains whether games can change minds, or merely entertain. Still, many have found something to fear inherent in the computer game format – particularly when blended with that other great fear of the digital age, the Internet.