Seeing Games Differently
“What you see and what you hear depends a great deal on where you are standing. It also depends on what sort of person you are.”
I don't know about you, but I do my best thinking in the shower. I like to turn the water temperature up just below scalding and let my mind wander as the water runs down my back. At the beginning of the year, my mind kept dwelling on the sheer number of games in existence.
Most PC gamers I know have a backlog of unplayed games that could last them the rest of their life. We live in a golden age of gaming, a time of great abundance. Stores like Epic give away free games each week, and there is a neverending stream of bundles and sales where you can snag games for pennies on the dollar. This was my train of thought, and then something scary popped into my head. I thought, maybe the world doesn't need any more games?!
The thought landed with a thud. It's the kind of thought that shakes you. A momentary midlife crisis. Does the world have enough games? I wondered as thoughts swirled around my head like the vapors of steam collecting near the mirror. Then in a moment, the Lord showed me a different perspective.
If we think about games as mere products, commodities, goods that are packaged and sold, or simply bits of entertainment, time wasters, escapes from the troubles of our world—then someone could make the argument that at some point in time, we will have enough.
However, if we shift our perspective on games and think about them as delivery vessels for the things people need—like love, community, friendship, beauty, adventure, and purpose—we could never have enough. Games can deliver more than nourishment, though. They also present opportunities—like the opportunity to develop qualities the world needs such as bravery, compassion, empathy, understanding, creativity, imagination, ingenuity, heroism, and selflessness. With an estimated 2.7 billion gamers worldwide, nurturing those qualities could make a massive impact on our future.
In the book of Romans, Paul talks about renewing our minds. From my time in that shower, I feel like I have some understanding of what Paul meant. I once heard an author describe his new book as an efficient means to transfer ideas. His goal was not to write a book but rather to share his ideas. The critical part was the ideas and making sure they spread. I feel like the author’s distinction is akin to the shift that took place in my brain.
In the past, when someone asked me what I did, I would proudly exclaim that I was a game developer. These days, I tell them that I'm interested in helping people create communities, and I do that by making games. It might seem like a subtle change, but games have taken on a supporting role to the greater vision God has given me.
What vision is God giving you?
