Darfur is Dying & The Sudan Web Campaign

Does a game oversimplify and diminish suffering? This is an ongoing discussion in the Serious Games Initiative about whether games can tackle tragic issues and it is one that should continue. Some historical tragedies such as the Holocaust have not been addressed for this precise reason. If one does choose to create a game that gets folks to think, will doing so change behavior in the player?

Darfur is Dying (www.darfurisfying.com), a game created as a result of an MTV-sponsored contest, aims to bring awareness to the genocide taking place in the Darfur region of Sudan. Around 700,000 people played the game in the first month and many of these participated in the political action segment of the website (Thompson, 2006). Strengths of the game are ease of play, reality, and link to political action (the player can send an email to their political representative among other things). Weaknesses include difficult goals, cartoonish-quality graphics, and short game length.

As mentioned above, the game offers players an opportunity to advocate for the people of Darfur. You can also help by participating in the Sudan Campaign sponsored by MCC US online.

Play the game. Visit the website. Learn. Help. You can make a difference.

~ by jlseagull on July 7, 2009.