Ian Bogost talks about how video games make great tools for persuasion and cultural commentary. He defines the concept “procedural rhetoric” as ways games make arguments through mechanics and gameplay. These interactive systems are a different way to persuade audiences because they must actually interact with these systems themselves. They then get to see and interact with “the world” through this lens. This is a very effective way to communicate ideologies, critique systems, and teach users about complex issues.
Examples include:
Animal Crossing: It houses numerous critiques on consumerism and capitalism. The player is forced to pay off a mortgage while buying things which is supposed to model the vicious cycle of debt many people fall into. Tom Nook is representative of corporate greed and how corporations profit off of the consumer’s labor and debt.
McDonald’s Videogame: The player is running a large fast food chain and they must make unethical decisions at all steps in the production chain to be profitable. Some of these choices include how the meat is raised, using harmful chemicals as preservatives, bribing officials, and harming the environment. This game educates consumers about how exactly large fast food chains conduct business.
SimCity: Players are able to learn about urban planning, balancing resources, growth and public welfare. Players are able to learn about managing these things firsthand through simulation and experimentation. This type of learning is much different than anything you can learn in a book.
Bully: The player is a high school student who interacts with many different hierarchies and social dynamics of high school. The player is able to perceive and interact with different social pressures and understand cultural critiques enforced by the game designer.
Spore: Models evolution and includes elements of astrobiology. Also talks about the spread abf life throughout the universe
Media literacy is important for all mediums, including games. Players should critically analyze games and if they are not able to, parents / guardians should walk them through what these games are teaching them. People who make video games should also recognize the power they wield through the medium they work in. They should be thoughtful about what their mechanics imply.
