Pervasive games, real life and Barack Obama
Posted by Alex | Posted in Our Thoughts | Posted on 05-11-2008
Gamasutra posted an indepth analysis of the role video games played in 2008 elections. The author Bogost claims that video games weren’t used enough in the last US presidential campaign, and wonders whether games can be a proper election medium at all.
His answer is that games deal with politicking e.g campaigning, instead of politics, the real public policy relationship between the people and their representatives.
Bogost suggest the use of pervasive games which simulate policy making in order to educate people about their world and politics.
That got me thinking: If iTycoon, or a similar game was around for a few years now, could it help preventing the financial crisis we witness today? Maybe if more people were aware of their lives as an economic gameplay field, thinking through the decisions they make, and realising the consequences of buying and selling stuff - perhaps we’d all be in a slightly better place…
Anyway, the iTycoon team wishes the best of luck to Barack Obama, and recognizes the historical significance of this day. Do you think he own an iPhone, BTW? 
(Image: responsiblemarketing.com)
