Examining the Role of Video Games In the US Election

Gamasutra is running an article discussing the influence of games and gamers on the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections. The connection, while minor, is continuing to strengthen, from allowing people to register to vote through their consoles, to in-game advertising, to games about and involving the candidates. However, it may still be an uphill climb as media-sharing becomes easier. From Gamasutra: "There are reasons games have grown slowly compared to other technologies for political outreach. The most important one is also the most obvious: since 2004, online video and social networks have become the big thing, as blogs were four years ago. Instead of urging voters to 'play my game,' as Loftus and I surmised, candidates urged their constituents to 'watch my video.' Online video became the political totem of 2008, from James Kotecki's dorm room interviews to CNN's YouTube debates."

Comments

Oh no, not again

[Anonymous Coward]

Why oh why must the online media trot out these "gamers change the world" stories. Gamers are not special. The games they play are not special. Some gamers are geeky recluses, but they would still be geeky recluses without their games. Some gamers are not geeky. The games don't have any magic special effect on people, and gamers certainly don't have any effect on society as a whole. This stuff is all just hype.

When you play a game, you play a game. THAT'S ALL. You don't suddenly develop special "cultural zeitgeist" powers. You remain what you always were: an insignificant converter of oxygen and food into energy and poo poo. Gaming does not rock society. Society plods along, wars still happen, booms and busts, new bosses that are the same as the old boss, never ending one-hit-wonder girl bands etc etc

Just because we can game on the internet nowardays doesnt mean gamers are plugged into national or international current affairs and just because you can save your game doesn't mean any gamer ever made history. Gamers, get your right hands out of your pants, and get over yourselves. If you cannot enjoy your "duke blastem" or whatever without contriving megalomaniac/oninistic fantasies and spilling them all over the web, perhaps you should try another hobby. How about doing some charity work - that might help you regain some persepctive.

Re:Oh no, not again

[genner]

Why oh why must the online media trot out these "gamers change the world" stories. Gamers are not special.

My mom says I'm special.....*sniff*

Re:Oh no, not again

[gnick]

Exactly - The reason is obvious. Most people are right-handed so, when not on a computer, the right hand is the most convenient for recreation. However, since the poster is referring specifically to the masturbatory habits of gamers, because most right-handed people keep the mouse on the right, and because the right hand can be used most flexibly to control both the keyboard and mouse when the left hand is otherwise occupied and the mouse is to the right of the keyboard, the left hand is the one most likely to be found in a gamer's pants. OP should think through these things before making silly statements like that.

Karma bonus abandoned for obvious reasons.

The Campaign Game (General Election Edition)

[Jainith]

Awesome turn based strategy game, it used to let you pick any of the Candidates running in either primary, I dont know when they changed it, or what else they changed.

http://www.kongregate.com/games/thup/campaign-game

Re:The Campaign Game (General Election Edition)

[MindKata]

If they change the name from Candidates to End Of Level Boss, then more console users are likely to vote in an election, to get their favourite End Of Level Boss.

Speaking of politics and videogames...

[Sibko]

http://kotaku.com/5071682/sarah-palin-to-shoot-moose-obama-in-mercs-2

Pretty clever advertising, I must admit.

Why games?

[Xtense]

Doesn't seem to me like games are a good medium to spread your political messages - after all, games are... well, games. You play them to have fun, not to be fed loads of political horsecrap. Those so inclined may as well analyze, event after event, the ideological backgrounds of each turn taken by the game's story, but seriously, that's not where the "entertainment" bit is at. And gamers are there for entertainment.

Looks to me like a non-story.

Re:Why games?

[stinerman]

Meh.

Too many people these days demand to be entertained while they get their news or political spin of the day. I see a market for this, but I don't know how large of one.

Re:Why games?

[utnapistim]

You play them to have fun, not to be fed loads of political horsecrap.

... which is why this is efficient.

The problem you have here is that while games are indeed entertainment, while a player is focused on the game play, the messages (billboards or whatever else) go easier into the subconscious.

This is much more efficient than making the image the focus of the player's attention, as it doesn't engage the player's prejudices/opinions/critical thinking and goes directly into the subconscious. It is the same principle of subliminal suggestions and some hypnosis therapy techniques (using multiple voices speaking over each other, with the actual message not being the loudest of the voices).

That said, I'm not sure how many of the electorate are gamers or how many need that message: if the candidate advertising himself is technology-savvy he probably already has more appeal to gamers (they being closer to technology anyway) so in a way it sounds like preaching to the choir.

Re:Do as I say, not as I do

[joss]

So, your argument is that it's hypocritical of Obama to use the donations people have sent to his election campaign to try and get himself elected as opposed to giving it to other candidates ?

Is this really an argument that you think will impress anyone ? If you really want to prevent Obama being elected, I recommend you argue on his behalf.. you're about as helpful as an Al Qaeda endorsement. Things are stacked sufficiently against McCain without your help.

Doom..

[onion2k]

I'm voting for a Cyberdemon to be president!

This joke fails on so many levels. Firstly, I'm English so I can't vote. Secondly, there aren't any cyberdemons standing. Thirdly, even if a cyberdemon were to stand they'd probably be an independent standing for a niche Military/Satanic party so it'd be a bit of a waste. I can't imagine cyberdemons are very interested in environmental or economic policy. And lastly, and perhaps most importantly, cyberdemons aren't real so you can't vote for them anyway. Mind you, nor is Sarah Palin. I don't know who thought her up but that joke has gone way too far already...

Re:Doom..

[somersault]

cyberdemons aren't real so you can't vote for them anyway

I beg to differ. Clippy is real. I have seen him with my own eyes. I enlisted the help of a monastery of technopriests to smite him into the fiery pits of disabled preferences.

Idiocracy moves one step closer...

[Joce640k]

Politics be damned, just vote for the coolest dude and get him representin' the people.

Register to vote?

[jav1231]

The thought of people registering to vote through an XBox is frightening.

But the thought that most such voters will be too caught up in GTA to actually leave the house makes me feel much better!

Re:Register to vote?

[Swanktastic]

The thought of people registering to vote through an XBox is frightening.

1. Please enter your Full Name and Address below.
2. What is your political affiliation? (Please Check Only One)
- Enjoy Screaming Racial/Homosexual Epithets (Republican)
- Teabagger (Democrat)
- Spawn Camper (Libertarian)

Re:When I see election video games on CNN...

[The Ultimate Fartkno]

I can see it now: "The Secret Black Negro Muslim Socialist Brigade from Planet Marx vs. The Moose-Shooting Rogue Hottie and the Grizzled War Hero in: DEBATE DEATHMATCH!"

"What we need... is change!"

"You're a terrorist!"

"What?"

"Don't make me pull out my Moosekiller 2012 BFG!"

"No, what I'm trying to say is..."

"Maverick!"

Obama reels from the blow

"If that's not Marxism, then I'm not a soccerbull pitmom!"

Obama staggers, his shields are failing

"Hockey!!"

he drops to his knees, his HUD awash in alarms

"And now I'd like to tell you about..."

"NOOOOOOOOOO!"

"JOE SIXPACK, DON'TCHA KNOW!"

the Red Team has captured the base. Respawn in four years.

Re:Do as I say, not as I do

[Andr T.]

Yesterday I was reading the Fox News comments on the video of an American military vet voting for McCain. I like reading the comments, well, because... people are so stupid that it hurts. But it's funny.

And then there was people saying the US are in Iraq to 'free' the people. I couldn't help myself from registering to the site and posting a comment about Saudi Arabia - which has a very, very, very, very bad regime but, since it does what the US economically wants, nobody says anything about it. The US doesn't need to 'free' them, while they keep the cheap oil flow. I didn't want to hide so I openly posted as a foreigner watching the news.

What the people said? 'you third world bastard, get back to your (bleep) (bleep) country.'

I can't argue with that.

Tron Paul

[DanTheStone]

Just wait for next election's ramp up, when the Tron Paul video game is released. Then we'll all find out whether these people were right. http://www.xkcd.com/497/