Professor Radde-Antweiler, how widespread are video games today?

Looking at the demographics of gamers in Germany in 2024, it becomes clear that gaming is by no means confined to younger generations. The figures are relatively evenly distributed across age groups (Statista 2024). In fact, the largest share of gamers (18 percent) is between 50 and 59 years old, closely followed by those aged 30 to 39 (17 percent), and 10 to 19 (16 percent). Twelve percent of all video game players in Germany are between 60 and 69 years old. Globally, more than 335 billion euros were spent on video games in 2022 alone (Statista 2024). Video games are therefore an established part of society. And yet, in media and academic discourse, they are still often framed negatively or dismissed as insignificant.

What impact do video games have on society?

When we examine the role of video games in today’s public debate, their influence on society and culture becomes undeniable. One striking example is the U.S. election campaign, where video games have been used successfully as innovative tools to engage young voters. During the 2020 U.S. presidential election, for instance, the Democratic Party incorporated the game Fortnite into the Biden–Harris campaign. The campaign featured a custom in-game map – the “Build Back Better with Biden” island – which launched just days before the election.

Similar trends can be observed elsewhere. In recent years, Russia has intensified its efforts in the field of video games. In 2019, Putin tasked the government with designating a non-governmental organization to monitor online content related to the moral and intellectual development of young people. In response, the Russian Internet Development Institute unveiled a funding initiative in December 2021 to support video games rooted in so-called “Russian cultural values” and national identity.

What do video games have to do with values?

Although video games are a dominant form of popular media, discussions of ethics and morality in games often remain superficial. At best, gaming is dismissed as trivial distraction; at worst, as triggers for addiction or even acts of youth violence. A closer look, however, reveals that gamers become ethical agents while playing, and that the ethics of gaming should be understood as a complex network of responsibilities and moral obligations embedded in a broader game environment. Players are neither passive nor amoral. On the contrary, they reflect on and actively construct ethical positions. Game rules, narratives, design choices, and the act of playing itself are closely intertwined with decision-making processes and with specific values that give meaning to players’ choices.

Values emerge on multiple levels within video games. Games are not created in a vacuum; they are produced and consumed in specific historical and social contexts, and they reflect the values of those contexts. One obvious example is the changing portrayal of enemies in video games over time. First-person shooters such as the Call of Duty or Medal of Honor series often rely on classic stereotypes – Middle Eastern terrorists, Russian ultranationalists, Nazis, or Latin American street gangs – whose primary function is to serve as an antagonist that legitimizes the player’s use of violence.

Are video games a mirror of society?

Video games reveal complex interconnections between social categories such as religion, race, class, and gender. In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, for example, same-sex partnerships and relationships are portrayed by the developers as an accepted part of social norms – unlike in earlier games. At the same time, this sparked strong criticism from more value-conservative gamers who had praised the predecessor precisely for its lack of diversity. What makes this example particularly interesting is that the game also negotiates a third layer of values: those of its historical setting in the early 15th century. Players’ decisions affect the game world itself, for instance, in how villagers react to the player character when actions conflict with the moral values of that era.

A further layer of values becomes especially visible in serious games. These are video games designed for learning through playful elements while aiming to foster specific values. Examples include games that encourage engagement with historical topics such as the Nazi era, as well as with contemporary issues like antisemitism or conspiracy theories.

What can video games contribute to social value debates?

In recent years, game developers have increasingly recognized the potential of digital games to foster debates about societal values. Climate awareness is a prominent example. The climate crisis has featured in video games since the early 2000s, but its presence has grown both in depth and reach. Today, it appears in indie games such as Plasticity, a free, one-hour game developed by students and set in a future in which “plastic consumption never stopped, leaving behind lifeless landscapes, flooded cities, and widespread waste.” At the same time, major AAA games – the blockbusters of the gaming world – also address the issue. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gathering Storm (2019), for instance, reflects on the climate crisis by allowing the gamers’ decisions to affect, and even destroy, the game world’s ecosystem.

Another prominent example is Floodland (2022), which set in a world devastated by rising sea levels and flooded coastal regions. Players guide a group of survivors through a flooded Earth, scavenging resources, rediscovering lost technology, and mediating conflicts between rival factions – all while rebuilding civilization. Even games like Minecraft have integrated climate-related content, for example, through the Minecraft Education Edition “Build a Better World.”

The importance of this topic is also evident in the way that game developers are taking action, as seen in initiatives like “Playing for the Planet,” which aims to reduce the video game industry’s environmental impact.

How does this development affect research?

Research has identified a new genre of games known as “environmental games.” They are deliberately designed to raise environmental awareness through their gameplay, design, and visual storytelling. By tapping into players’ natural curiosity, creativity, and desire to learn, these games foster a deeper connection to nature and a sense of responsibility toward the planet.

Games generally have the power to influence behavior in positive ways, as they reach our subconscious and can shape habits. What remains insufficiently researched, however, is how such games can lead to active, lasting engagement and sustained commitment to environmental protection. Current debates therefore focus on the role video games might play in developing what is known as “futures literacy,” a concept introduced by UNESCO. Futures literacy aims to help people develop strategies for dealing with an uncertain future, particularly in the context of climate crisis. It involves understanding how ideas about the future influence present-day thinking and actions. These skills can support the development of policies and systems that are resilient to crises and capable of building long-term stability. Those who think through different future scenarios can prepare for likely developments while also working toward desirable futures. In both cases, the goal is to consciously shape the present. Futures literacy also means being able to adapt spontaneously and flexibly to unforeseen events, and thus to cope with the uncertainties the future holds. In relation to video games, the key question is how games can empower people to engage with the future in anticipatory, proactive, and spontaneous ways.

About Professor Kerstin Radde-Antweiler

Kerstin Radde-Antweiler heads the Media and Religion Lab at the Centre for Media, Communication and Information Research (ZeMKI) at the University of Bremen. The lab explores the relationship between media and religions and how both evolve over time. Its perspective is twofold: On the one hand, contemporary and historical religious discourses and their authorities are shaped by media; on the other, religious practices are always media practices, and religious identities are also media identities. Whether through books, images, videos, or virtual worlds, religious ideas are created, shared, and contested through media. In this sense, religion itself is a mediatized phenomenon – one that demands careful analysis through the lens of media communication.

Further Information

Website ZeMKI-Lab Media and Religion