Christophe De bont 
02/12/2020As the games industry keeps rapidly growing, so does its social responsibility. It’s not just about making pretty games that are fun to play. Video games are able to affect the way people look at the world and game makers shouldn’t be blind to cultural evolutions when crafting their games.
DAE’s newest livestream series Game For Thought shines a light on precisely those subjects. Streaming monthly from their campus The Level, the goal is to critically evaluate topics at the intersection of gaming and social ethics. During 90 minute sessions, topical experts and students discuss the social impact of industry developments while reflecting upon their social responsibility as game creators.
The sessions confront industry experts and decision makers with the voice of students, who the lecturers feel isn’t heard enough in these matters. After a 30-minute introduction on the subject, the panel is fuelled by student questions and insights, and as these topics transcend the world of game development, that input isn’t limited to DAE students.
Kicking off last month with a session on Sex and Violence in Games, the series doesn’t shy away from the tough topics. Here’s a look at the future topics, which will stream from the DAE Twitch channel on Thursdays from 20.00 until 21.30.
- 17th December: Discrimination & Representation in Games (race, gender, sexuality)
- 18th February: Games and Addiction
- 18th March: Ethics, AI, and the Progress of Technology
- 22nd April: The Social Dilemma (social media & privacy)
Game For Thought looks like a unique opportunity for students to speak their minds on these important topics. It feels good to know the game creators of tomorrow are interested in how cultural evolutions can impact their craft, something that bodes well for our entire industry.
