Rock Paper Shotgun
All forms of media have covered controversial topics at one point or another, each showing varying degrees of success. Controversial art is nothing new, especially since controversial subject matters date back to the beginning of recorded history. Over time, we may find that content that was once considered controversial no longer is, and vice versa – but today, we’ll be discussing when consumers should embrace controversial topics in historical gaming. We’ll also take a look at some controversial games that simply went too far.
Allows Users to Think For Themselves
The Direct
One of the most important reasons why video games should cover controversial topics is because many of these issues that are addressed allow players to think critically for themselves. Just as it’s important for schools to teach controversial topics to their students, video games should not be dissuaded from bringing these topics up.
The most prominent example of this occurring has been with Highwire Games’ first-person shooter, Six Days in Fallujah, which is set during the Second Battle of Fallujah from the Iraq war back in 2004. The game garnered quite a bit of hate and negative reactions from various groups, including various ex-marines, and resulted in Konami–the game’s original publishers– dropping the game. Originally announced in 2009, the game was slated for a 2010 release but was put on hold after losing its publisher. The game’s original studio, Atomic Games, went bankrupt in 2011 and caused the release to be put on hold until 2016. In February 2021, the game was finally announced to be back in development in Highwire Games and is now set to be released in late 2021. Gamers will just have to see how the title turns out when it’s finally released later this year and whether the controversy was worth Konami’s abandonment.
Shows Events Through a Unique Lens
Spec Ops: The Line is another historical video game that received lots of flack from gamers upon its release. Another war shooter, this particular PS3 game focused on the horrors of war, as well as the negative side effects that can result from war, including PTSD. The game is now considered somewhat of a modern classic and has been praised for being one of the few action games to address PTSD and other real-world issues that many ex-military veterans experience.
Games That Go Too Far
But video games that cover controversial topics may tread a fine line. Sometimes, they overstep that boundary and enter into the territory of insensitivity. For example, JFK: Reloaded allows players to experience the assassination of former president John F. Kennedy. The game, of course, is incredibly offensive as it arguably trivializes the death of one of the nation’s most beloved presidents and takes an event considered one of the most upsetting in American history, and turns it into a form of entertainment. Traffic Software, the developers of the title, argued that the game was created in order to “establish the most likely facts of what happened” on the day of Kennedy’s assassination, however, critics didn’t see it that way. Most critics panned the title because of its lack of taste, and the Massachusetts House of Representatives went as far as condemning. The game’s director Kirk Erwing even received death threats after the game’s release.
JFK: Reloaded clearly crossed a line with its release, as most gamers felt it was too controversial in order to be seen as an enjoyable title despite relatively decent gameplay. Other games, such as Custer’s Revenge, an Atari-era title that crossed into adult territory and put rape in the forefront of entertainment, have gone too far in their controversial subject matter and failed to make an impact. Overall, there’s a clear balance to be made when covering controversial topics in gaming; but if done well, historical games covering controversial topics can be important and even can teach valuable lessons to gamers.
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At Epoch Xperience, we specialize in creating compelling narratives and provide research to give your game the kind of details that engage your players and create a resonant world they want to spend time in. If you are interested in learning more about our gaming research services, you can browse Epoch Xperience’s service on our parent site, SJR Research.
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(This article is credited to Ben Price. For as long as he can remember, Ben has always loved playing, discussing, and writing about video games. Since receiving his B.A. in English, he now writes about them for a living.)