Press
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
“SEPTEMBER
12th, A toy world ” – Political Videogame About The War On
Terror
NewsGaming.com launches simulation
that mixes news with videogames
Montevideo, URUGUAY – Sep. 29, 2003 – NewsGaming.com launched
today its first online video game based on current international events:
“September 12th, A Toy World”. The game analyzes the current
situation of the United States’ War on Terror.
The game uses traditional videogame aesthetics to model a political paradox:
current US tactics on the war on terror affect the civilian population
and generate more terrorism.
“The
basic idea behind ‘September 12th’ can be described as ‘violence
generates more violence’. As you try to kill the terrorists, you
will always kill civilians ('collateral damage'). Other civilians will
mourn their dead and turn into terrorists. After a couple of minutes of
play, the screen is full of terrorists”, says Gonzalo Frasca, NewsGaming.com
lead designer.
“Our games are original
because they are not meant just to entertain. Through this piece we want
to encourage players to think
critically about the efficacy of the United States’ current strategy
against terrorism. Terrorism
is a terrible problem and we think it should be fought in a more intelligent
way".
"We see the concept of newsgaming as a 21st century equivalent to
traditional printed political cartoons: short, controversial satirical
pieces that convey biased ideological messages. Video games are a perfect
medium for this since they can model complex situations”, he concludes.
A
former journalist at CNNenEspañol.com, Gonzalo Frasca is a professional
game designer and a video game theorist. He is also the editor of Ludology.org,
a major online academic resource for game researchers.
NewsGaming.com team is based in Montevideo, Uruguay, and is formed by
professional game developers and artists. Periodically, they will release
more experimental online games and simulations based on news events.
About NewsGaming.com – This new site showcases video games that
editorialize on current international news. Its team gathers a group of
professional game developers and artists who believe that videogames can
not only entertain but also encourage critical thinking. Periodically,
Newsgaming.com will launch online video games related to major international
news events.
