Gamers in the United Kingdom may find themselves seeing messages from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media, and Sport soon, as the government agency has since requested thatvideo game companies do their part to fight Coronavirusand broadcast public health messages in their games. These messages will take the form of short, digital reminders within many popular games across the UK.
To combat the ever-growing Coronavirus pandemic, the UK has been hammering home the slogan of stay home, save lives, and now it is looking to video games as a digital platform to reach yet more people with the message. Numerous game developers have already consented to the request and have begun inserting the PSAs into their games.
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Although the decision to advertise these public health messages within video games is somewhat strange, theimportance of staying home and avoiding social gatheringscannot be overstated. That said, most gamers are staying home already, a fact shown by the recent and drastic increase in time spent playing video games.
Video Games, like any form of media, have long been used as a way for developers to have their voice be heard, share their stories, or make a point, but many companies are starting to realize the unique trait video games have that make them even better for this purpose. Unlike films or even television shows, a video game can be, and often is, changed after it is released. This allows developers to provide the most up to date information possible to their players, an ability which certainUK developersare using to their advantage right now.
Of course, there are two sides to every coin, and it could be argued that the inclusion of these messages simply acts as a reminder of the harsh reality of the world as it is in its current state. Many use video games as aform of escapism, and especially now, that kind of break from the chaos is needed. By adding these messages about the Coronavirus to games, no matter how good-natured they are, a safe space of sorts is taken away from players.
This represents a balancing act that many are struggling with right now, as the innate desire is to avoid news about the virus, yet curiosity often drives people to try and learn more about it. Either way, it is good to see the gaming industry using the platform it has to try and make a difference and helpbring an end to the Coronavirus pandemic.
