I’ve been playing videogames since I was 6 years old, as you have noticed in my previous posts, it is one of my biggest passions. But the reason for that is not just that I like to play and have a good time. As a child, it was very difficult for me to connect with other people, both at school and with my neighbors. Immersing myself in the world of bits provided me with an escape from the anxiety of not having many social skills, but it also helped me to meet many friends who shared my love for playing, people who, to this day, are still close to me. .
That's why I've always been a video game advocate as more than just a fun activity. During the 90's there was a kind of media campaign against this hobby, I could read a lot of articles talking about how harmful games were for children, killing their neurons, leaving them addicted, or worse, encouraging violence.
I can debate about this all day long, if you’re reading this and think that videogames are a waste of time, this is a post where I’ll be able to demonstrate to a small extent the positive reach that they can have. Their ability to change lives, or to inspire yourself, and to cope with difficult situations. Here we go:
That Dragon, Cancer
This point-and-click adventure game was created by Ryan and Amy Green and a small team of people. It is based on the experience they both had with their son Joel, who unfortunately was diagnosed with terminal cancer at 12 months. Despite that, Joel was able to survive almost 5 years before dying.
During the game, you step into the shoes of both parents, while reliving in a very beautiful and artistic way, some of the moments and experiences they had with Joel. You can interact with the environment, and with them (the parents), and also make decisions similar to those they had to face.
Thanks to the frontal and emotional experience of That Dragon Cancer, the Greens were acclaimed by critics, which helped them win many awards, including a Game Award 2016 for "Game for Impact".
That Dragon, Cancer wins a Game Award
Anonymous heroes of online gaming
The online gaming community is spread out in many games around the world, and although there’s a lot of trolls out there, we can also find incredible people willing to help. An amazing case is that of Robert Chambers, who suffers from muscular dystrophy. Robert was playing Evony, a browser game, when a fire broke out in his house. Due to his condition, it was impossible for him to get to the phone fast enough to ask for help.
(Robert Chambers)
So - and contrary to what’s recommended - Chambers turned to his friends online to notify them of the situation and give them the address of his home. The community was quick to respond and they contacted the relevant authorities, who prevented a major disaster in a matter of minutes. You can read about other similar cases in this cracked article.
Playing fast to prevent deseases
Games Done Quick is a charitable initiative whose premise is obvious: finishing games as fast as possible. These sessions, called Speedruns, are made by professionals, people who know the titles they play from top to bottom. The event is held usually twice a year , and consist of speedrun marathons broadcasted via Twitch, where viewers can donate money during the sessions, which include classics from Mario Bros to more modern games like Skyrim.
Games Done Quick - Super Mario Speedrun (6:33 min)
According to this Polygon article, Games Done Quick raised about 2.2 million dollars over the past year. Most of what has been raised is destined to institutions such as the Foundation for the Prevention of Cancer and Doctors Without Borders.
Games Done Quick - Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of time speedrun (26:34 min)
As you can see, although videogames were created as a form of entertainment, they have evolved as an art that can not only teach, but have a positive impact in society.
Thank you for reading