Episode 75 – Fighting Extremism in Games (with Rachel Kowert)

There are over 50 million players over the age of 50 in the USA alone and those numbers will only continue to grow for an activity that’s too often viewed as “kids’ stuff”.  How and when do older players engage with online gaming communities?  Do designers need to be concerned about monetizing techniques that might take advantage of vulnerable older adults?  What can societies do to help older games access games that would be fun and beneficial for them?  How can games themselves be more inclusive for older players?  --------------------------------------------------------------- Bob De Schutter (MFA, PhD) is an award-winning game designer, researcher, educator, and advocate for meaningful play in later life. He is a Professor of Applied Game Design at Northeastern University, where he is jointly appointed between the College of Arts, Media and Design and the Khoury College of Computer Sciences. He is also the owner of award-winning game company Lifelong Games (LLC). ------------------------------------------------------------ JOIN THE ETHICS AND VIDEO GAMES COMMUNITY: - Follow/like/share us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube  - Explore our website and check out our Video Games Ethics Resources Center: https://ethicsandvideogames.com - If you're game to lend us your financial support, we'd love to have it and can definitely use it!  You can do that here: SUPPORT OUR PODCAST! - Give us a review whereever you listen to podcasts - If you've got an idea or an ethical issue involving video games that you think would make for a good podcast, please let us know!  Contact us at ethicsandvideogames.com or email us at [email protected].  We’d love to hear from you!

Games are particularly fertile grounds for extremist recruitment.  Why is that?  What’s special about games and gaming culture that might make them attractive spaces for recruitment?  How does extremist recruitment work in games?  What is being done about it right now?  And what can be done to help prevent the spread of extremism through games? --------------------------------------------------------------- Rachel Kowert, Ph.D is a research psychologist and the Research Director of Take This. She is a world-renowned researcher on the uses and effects of digital games, including their impact on physical, social, and psychological well-being. An award-winning author, she’s published a variety of books and scientific articles relating to the psychology of games and, more recently, the relationship between games and mental health specifically. Her YouTube channel Psychgeist serves to bridge the gap between moral panic and scientific knowledge on a variety of psychology and game-related topics.  In 2021, Dr. Kowert was chosen as a member of The Game Awards Future Class, representing the best and brightest of the future of video games. Dr. Kowert has been featured in various media outlets, including NPR, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Atlantic, Wired, and video game publications such as Kotaku and Polygon.  ------------------------------------------------------------ JOIN THE ETHICS AND VIDEO GAMES COMMUNITY: - Follow/like/share us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube  - Explore our website and check out our Video Games Ethics Resources Center: https://ethicsandvideogames.com - If you're game to lend us your financial support, we'd love to have it and can definitely use it!  You can do that here: SUPPORT OUR PODCAST! - Give us a review whereever you listen to podcasts - If you've got an idea or an ethical issue involving video games that you think would make for a good podcast, please let us know!  Contact us at ethicsandvideogames.com or email us at [email protected].  We’d love to hear from you!

When game companies simulate cultures in their games they usually focus on the tropes that their intended audiences have about those cultures and then design their game around those tropes.  Is there anything wrong with that?  If so, what? What can game designers do to present cultures – present and past – more respectfully? ---------------------------------------------------------------  Andrei Zanescu is a newly minted Doctor of Communication at Concordia University, in Montreal, Canada. His research focuses on resonance and its uses for (re)producing culture, in blockbuster games both digital and analog, as well as the overlap between blockbuster films and games. He also researches the political economy of game distribution, and the monetization of game platforms.  Andrei is co-author of Microstreaming on Twitch, which is forthcoming from MIT Press.  And he’s co-host of the Humor and Games. ------------------------------------------------------------ JOIN THE ETHICS AND VIDEO GAMES COMMUNITY: - Follow/like/share us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube  - Explore our website and check out our Video Games Ethics Resources Center: https://ethicsandvideogames.com - If you're game to lend us your financial support, we'd love to have it and can definitely use it!  You can do that here: SUPPORT OUR PODCAST! - Give us a review whereever you listen to podcasts - If you've got an idea or an ethical issue involving video games that you think would make for a good podcast, please let us know!  Contact us at ethicsandvideogames.com or email us at [email protected].  We’d love to hear from you! Hosted by Shlomo Sher, Ph.D. and Andy Ashcraft Production by Carmen Elena Mitchell Music and graphics by Daniel Sher

Gaming and game development work differently for the developed global north than the developing global south.  What are those differences?  How does the global south play and pay differently?  Why is it so hard to start a game development company in the global south?  How can the gaming world better take these things into consideration in order to be more inclusive to  the global south? ---------------------------------------------------------------  Aditya Deshbandhu is Lecturer of Communications, Digital Media Sociology at the University of Exeter. A researcher of video game studies, new media, and the digital divide, Aditya examines how people engage with digital artefacts and seeks to understand how these interactions shape everyday lives. As someone who actively examines digital acts of leisure, Aditya's research in the last decade has examined social media and OTT platforms alongside video games and digital cultures. Aditya is also the author of Gaming Culture(s) in India: Digital Play in Everyday Life and the forthcoming The 21st Century in a Hundred games ------------------------------------------------------------ JOIN THE ETHICS AND VIDEO GAMES COMMUNITY: - Follow/like/share us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube  - Explore our website and check out our Video Games Ethics Resources Center: https://ethicsandvideogames.com - If you're game to lend us your financial support, we'd love to have it and can definitely use it!  You can do that here: SUPPORT OUR PODCAST! - Give us a review whereever you listen to podcasts - If you've got an idea or an ethical issue involving video games that you think would make for a good podcast, please let us know!  Contact us at ethicsandvideogames.com or email us at [email protected].  We’d love to hear from you! Hosted by Shlomo Sher, Ph.D. and Andy Ashcraft Production by Carmen Elena Mitchell Music and graphics by Daniel Sher

In a couple of recent episodes guests have mentioned concerns about battle passes.  So, in this episode we decided to explore how they work, how they differ from traditional  subscription models or microtransactions, why they’re so popular today with game companies, and whether they raise any serious ethical concerns. ---------------------------------------------------------------  Daniel Joseph is a Senior Lecturer of Digital Sociology at Manchester Metropolitan University where he researches internet infrastructure, platforms, apps, and games. He’s also written for a number of publications, including Briarpatch Magazine, Motherboard, and Real Life Magazine.  Follow Daniel on Twitter at @DanjoKaz00ie. ------------------------------------------------------------ JOIN THE ETHICS AND VIDEO GAMES COMMUNITY: - Follow/like/share us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube  - Explore our website and check out our Video Games Ethics Resources Center: https://ethicsandvideogames.com - If you're game to lend us your financial support, we'd love to have it and can definitely use it!  You can do that here: SUPPORT OUR PODCAST! - Give us a review whereever you listen to podcasts - If you've got an idea or an ethical issue involving video games that you think would make for a good podcast, please let us know!  Contact us at ethicsandvideogames.com or email us at [email protected].  We’d love to hear from you! Hosted by Shlomo Sher, Ph.D. and Andy Ashcraft Production by Carmen Elena Mitchell Music and graphics by Daniel Sher

What can college esport teams do to blunt harassment against female players and make esports more inclusive?  Are they in a unique position to help solve these problems in esports?  We chat with representatives from Kean University about their attempts to make their own esport teams more inclusive to women. --------------------------------------------------------------- Theresa Lee is a returning student in her 40’s, who majors in Environmental science and Drones, and is the captain of the Hearthstone team.  Joseph Sarnoski is Kean University's eSports program director. In addition to gaming, Joe is a professor of Environmental and Sustainability Sciences at Kean where he runs their drone piloting and applications program. Kelly Williams is Director of Athletics at Kean University. His 28-year + career includes both coaching and athletic administrative experience, including serving as the head men’s basketball coach and as the Senior Associate Director of Athletics at The College of New Jersey.  ------------------------------------------------------------ JOIN THE ETHICS AND VIDEO GAMES COMMUNITY: - Follow/like/share us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube  - Explore our website and check out our Video Games Ethics Resources Center: https://ethicsandvideogames.com - If you're game to lend us your financial support, we'd love to have it and can definitely use it!  You can do that here: SUPPORT OUR PODCAST! - Give us a review whereever you listen to podcasts - If you've got an idea or an ethical issue involving video games that you think would make for a good podcast, please let us know!  Contact us at ethicsandvideogames.com or email us at [email protected].  We’d love to hear from you! Hosted by Shlomo Sher, Ph.D. and Andy Ashcraft Production by Carmen Elena Mitchell Music and graphics by Daniel Sher

How can ads for video games and for stuff in games be deceptive or manipulative?  What do  they need to consider when targeting kids?  What sort of guidance do they get from governments or their own industry groups?  We chat with Dr. Celia Pontin, former UK advertising regulator specializing in video games. --------------------------------------------------------------- A former advertising regulator specializing in video games, Dr. Celia Pontin wrote the UK's formal guidance on how to advertise in-app purchases and loot boxes without misleading people. Celia's doctorate is on the effects of interactivity on interpreting video game narratives and professionally she works with organizations as a research consultant on the evidence base for public health policy in alcohol, gambling, and video games. ------------------------------------------------------------ JOIN THE ETHICS AND VIDEO GAMES COMMUNITY: - Follow/like/share us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube  - Explore our website and check out our Video Games Ethics Resources Center: https://ethicsandvideogames.com - If you're game to lend us your financial support, we'd love to have it and can definitely use it!  You can do that here: SUPPORT OUR PODCAST! - Give us a review whereever you listen to podcasts - If you've got an idea or an ethical issue involving video games that you think would make for a good podcast, please let us know!  Contact us at ethicsandvideogames.com or email us at [email protected].  We’d love to hear from you! Hosted by Shlomo Sher, Ph.D. and Andy Ashcraft Production by Carmen Elena Mitchell Music and graphics by Daniel Sher

In this episode we explore some of the ethical issues related to kinks in video games – mostly adult ones.  How can games allow us to explore kinks?  What are some ethical pitfalls designers should consider?  How do issues like representation and consent fit in?  --------------------------------------------------------------- Kate Gray is a games writer and journalist with a specialist interest in portrayals of sex, sexuality, and relationships in video games. She is currently working on writing for several games, including one that's all about dating (but no sex. Well, implied sex). In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, whittling, and pottery, like a character out of Wind in the Willows. ------------------------------------------------------------ JOIN THE ETHICS AND VIDEO GAMES COMMUNITY: - Follow/like/share us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube  - Explore our website and check out our Video Games Ethics Resources Center: https://ethicsandvideogames.com - If you're game to lend us your financial support, we'd love to have it and can definitely use it!  You can do that here: SUPPORT OUR PODCAST! - Give us a review whereever you listen to podcasts - If you've got an idea or an ethical issue involving video games that you think would make for a good podcast, please let us know!  Contact us at ethicsandvideogames.com or email us at [email protected].  We’d love to hear from you! Hosted by Shlomo Sher, Ph.D. and Andy Ashcraft Production by Carmen Elena Mitchell Music and graphics by Daniel Sher

We’ve rarely discussed the specific category of adult games on this podcast.  So, we do so here and now and honestly, with a bit more speculation and off-the-cuff “let’s try this idea out and see if it sticks” mentality.  We explore whether adult games should be treated differently than other types of pornography, whether age-gating is actually desirable, and a bunch of other issues.  --------------------------------------------------------------- Fae Daunt is an Australian academic, researcher, and developer. Turning their experience in web into an endless curiosity for development and design, they have married their cultural experiences and academic knowledge into a sort of cosmic horror of curiosity. Fae wishes to further discussions of inclusivity, safe exploration, and understanding in games. They’re currently developing an experimental mobile game that progresses in real-world time ------------------------------------------------------------ JOIN THE ETHICS AND VIDEO GAMES COMMUNITY: - Follow/like/share us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube  - Explore our website and check out our Video Games Ethics Resources Center: https://ethicsandvideogames.com - If you're game to lend us your financial support, we'd love to have it and can definitely use it!  You can do that here: SUPPORT OUR PODCAST! - Give us a review whereever you listen to podcasts - If you've got an idea or an ethical issue involving video games that you think would make for a good podcast, please let us know!  Contact us at ethicsandvideogames.com or email us at [email protected].  We’d love to hear from you! Hosted by Shlomo Sher, Ph.D. and Andy Ashcraft Production by Carmen Elena Mitchell Music and graphics by Daniel Sher

What should we think about when we bring sex and intimacy into video games?  In this episode, we explore issues of player sexuality, in-game intimacy, representations of consent, and how video games can take chances and explore sexuality responsibly. --------------------------- Our guest for this episode are: Zhia Zariko is a media and communication expat into games design and development. Originally studying written communication, she did an elective in games, aesthetics and culture and never looked back. She now holds a Masters on Let's Play videos from RMIT, Australia, and has been teaching games design and theory for 5 years. She is currently in pre-production for a narrative-driven game on romance, intimacy, and vulnerability in a dark fantasy universe." Fae Daunt is an Australian-born, English-temporarily-raised, Australian-returned academic, researcher, and developer. Turning their experience in web into an endless curiosity for development and design, they have married their cultural experiences and academic knowledge into a sort of cosmic horror of curiosity. Fae wishes to further discussions of inclusivity, safe exploration, and understanding in games. They’re currently developing an experimental mobile game that progresses in real-world time" --------------------------- JOIN THE ETHICS AND VIDEO GAMES COMMUNITY: - Follow/like/share us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube  - Explore our website and check out our Video Games Ethics Resources Center: https://ethicsandvideogames.com - If you're game to lend us your financial support, we'd love to have it and can definitely use it!  You can do that here: SUPPORT OUR PODCAST! - Give us a review whereever you listen to podcasts - If you've got an idea or an ethical issue involving video games that you think would make for a good podcast, please let us know!  Contact us at ethicsandvideogames.com or email us at [email protected].  We’d love to hear from you! Hosted by Shlomo Sher, Ph.D. and Andy Ashcraft Production by Carmen Elena Mitchell Music and graphics by Daniel Sher