Junior game designer challenges the term.

Each week Gamasutra features an article from their member blogs.  Once in a while a member blog will write something on serious games or health games that really hits home.  This week’s Standout Member Blog is Raymond Ortgiesen’s Blog, views from a junior game design student at Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont.  His featured post is entitled “Some Thoughts About Serious Games.”  It’s a very thought-provoking article, and the comments are well worth taking a look at.  Here was my personal favorite quote from the article:

Frankly, it’s damned arrogant. The term [serious games] came about through a mixture of marketing on the part of the colleges and through a level of arrogance for developers who wanted to separate themselves from those other designers who make games just for fun. I truly believe that a large portion of it comes from a desire to say, “I make serious games, about how beating women is wrong.”  so that they can get a pat on the back from those ignorant of the power already inherent in mass market games.

Kudos to Raymond for such a bold and daring statement.  Also take note as you read the comments how Raymond tries to respond to everyone.  I greatly admire that in a blogger.

Will the real game developer please stand up?

Now,  serious health game developers, let’s hear what you have to say.  Some major things we need to ask ourselves:

• Is the term “serious game” really accurate?  Are we no different from conventional game designers?
• Has labeling our craft alienated us from the rest of the game industry?
• Are serious games “for the other guy” such as educators, doctors, etc?  Can we be mainstream?
• Are we trying to reinvent the wheel?  Could conventional video game titles be re-purposed to relay health messages?