Games for Change has released a video response to the White House's violent video game reel and it's actually quite inspiring. The video features gorgeous and heartwarming moments from a variety of games displaying the medium's ability to foster empathy and wonder. The video is meant to counter the violent reel depicting a series of gory video game deaths.
Following the horrifying February 14 shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, that left 17 people dead, President Donald Trump announced his intentions to meet with some of the gaming industry's prominent leaders to discuss the effect violence in video games may have on young gamers. At the meeting, Trump aired a short clip featuring violent moments in gaming that depicted deaths by gunshot, stabbing, and blunt force trauma. Several lawmakers have blamed violent games for these types of tragedies and have proposed ratings systems and/or increased taxes on violent games as a solution to the problem.
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The non-profit organization, Games for Change, released the counter video (seen above) to show a different side of gaming. The clip shows moments of tenderness and curiosity from a wide variety of games across many genres.
Quick clips depict characters swimming through crystal blue oceans, building stately castles, and taking in fantastic views of nature. Many of the biggest games of the past few years were on prominent display. Life Is Strange's Max and Chloe walked arm and arm down scenic train tracks, Ellie pet a friendly giraffe in The Last Of Us, Link was seen gliding through the sky and scaling cliffs in Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and Horizon Zero Dawn's Aloy watched wildlife prance about in front of her. Games for Change helps to distribute video games that provide strong educational content and foster emotional intelligence.
The "Violence in Video Games" reel was largely rejected by gamers, being accused of cherry-picking specific games and moments that suited its narrative. Those statements aren't unjustified, the violent reel was mostly made up of, rather ironically, military and war-type games with a few horror survival titles thrown in. A surprising amount of the characters actually committing violence in the White House's reel were wearing realistic military or SWAT uniforms.
Games for Change's response video chose from a variety of games, some containing violent scenes and some without. It's very fitting that one of the clip's sweetest moments, Ellie discovering the giraffe, comes from a zombie survival game that has often been described as both violent and intensely emotional, proving that even violent games can provide teachable moments.
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Source: Games for Change