Meanwhile, as I stand here today, video games are under attack by politicians in states across the country. True, some of these politicians are certifiably extreme; some have their own ideological agendas; some are cynically exploiting media violence concerns for political gain, some are trying to curry favor with parents worried about raising their children. But all of these proposals to ban game sales are unjustified, unnecessary, unconstitutional and, ultimately most importantly, theyre ineffective they will never be enacted and they wont do a single thing to really help parents raise their kids safely.
But you dont have to be a cynical politician or a cultural extremist to raise questions about video game content. There are many thoughtful, rational people who share the concerns. And we ignore them at our own peril they are the Moms and Dads who buy games and increasingly, play them. Disrespecting their concerns is dangerous indeed.
We can use things like the American Constitutions guarantee of free speech as a shield to legitimize virtually any content. Indeed, the very essence of art is that it has no boundaries, and the critical acclaim accorded various paintings, photographs, or books attests to that. But I submit to you it is one thing to say a product is protected speech, which it is, or that it is rated and parents need to accept responsibility for what their kids play, which they do. But it is quite another thing to say we have no larger responsibility for shaping the quality and values of the culture we live in.
Weve all seen games that depict content which is constitutionally protected artistic expression and yet which also raises the question of whether it really was necessary to realize the designers artistic vision. Thats not a call for censorship or government intrusion into video game sales. But it is meant to say that it is fair for critics, and us, to ask whether everything that is cool and pushes the envelope is, in fact, creatively necessary.
Long time game developer Ernest Adams says the industry needs cultural cred. Hes right. Acceptance in the culture is the key to legitimacy. None of us were alive when film first came on the scene but historians will tell you it was not regarded with great and instant acclaim. Our industry is just thirty years old and has produced more than its fair share of classics. No doubt, many more will come. But if we as an industry aspire to the same cultural and artistic credibility and stature achieved by other major forms of entertainment, our creative community and our publishers will have to eschew some of the historically easy and successful formulas for commercial success and draw consumers into some new kinds of interactive entertainment experiences that more often ennoble our industry.
Things like The Serious Games Movement and The Education Arcade are an important part of that. The fact that the Federation of American Scientists whose Board is populated by Nobel Prize winners is developing video games, funded by a grant from no less a symbol of Americas intellectual might than the National Academy of Sciences, is evidence of the growing sense beyond our industry of the potential for video games beyond the living room.
Similarly, the recent Harvard Business School Press book Got Game further validated the legitimacy of video games in the culture by reporting that by playing games, new entrants into the work force of today and tomorrow are bold but prudent risk takers, have a strong ability to multitask, have strong leadership skills, are more sociable, are more creative and have better problem solving skills, and are less easily discouraged.
In the end, cultural cred will come as the video game generation itself grows into positions of power and influence over politics and culture, as todays GTA fans become tomorrows Senators and editors. But in this period where we are no longer cultural outsiders, but rather are at the center of defining and creating the culture, some self criticism and self examination is healthy. Burying our heads in the sands or adopting a bunker mentality is an immature response.
