Play games and make the world a better place at Games for Change
July 30, 2010
No longer just a way for kids to waste hours on the couch during perfectly good daylight hours, video games have gained renown as a legitimate means of educating and informing people. Take Games for Change, where the idea is to use gaming to directly affect positive change in the world.
The games are free to play, and like with all games, some are better than others. However, they all serve to inform and enlighten as well as entertain. Take for example Oiligarchy which puts you at the head of an international oil company. The game play is simple but the message is clear — while it’s very hard to lose because you make so much money, which is the primary resource in the game, it’s also impossible to win because you always eventually run out of global resources. I made it to around 2150 before Mutually Assured Destruction kicked in and the world ended over fighting for the last scraps of resources.
A few things to keep in mind about Games for Change — some games are web-based (mostly Java and Flash), and some are downloaded and installed, but this is clearly noted for each game. Also, these games aren’t much for subtlety or sugar-coating — take Darfur is Dying, for example. If you are foraging for water and the Janjaweed militia capture you, it’s going to tell you exactly what usually happens (thankfully no images, though). Keep this in mind with the age groups in your class and what games you wish to have them play.
Related stuff:
Karma Tycoon turns philanthropy into a game
Inspire social action through gaming with Evoke
