Water Cooler Games
Water Cooler Games served as the web's primary forum for "videogames with an agenda" — coverage of the uses of video games in advertising, politics, education, and other everyday activities, outside the sphere of entertainment.
The site was maintained at watercoolergames.org from 2003-2009, where it was edited by myself and Gonzalo Frasca. It is now archived here in full.
Browsing Religious Games archives. View all categories
by Ian Bogost June 11, 2008
Randy Balma: Municipal Abortionist
Political Games, Religious Games
Randy Balma: Municipal Abortionist is a trippy, disturbing game from Messhof, aka Mark Essen. It's very abstract, often frustrating, and will likely make you physically ill. The compelling title is indeed tied to the game's themes, although don't expect them to cash out in a tidy fashion. You'll have to ...
by Ian Bogost January 23, 2008
Molleindustria's Faith Fighter
Political Games, Religious Games
Molleindustria's at it again, this time taking on religion. Faith Fighter aims "to push gamers to reflect on how... sacred representations are often instrumentally used to fuel or justify conflicts." In other words, a critique of the exchange value of religious figures and icons. It's a much less controversial topic ...
by Ian Bogost October 5, 2007
The Rapture of Lawyers
Religious Games
Zach Whalen writes today about a letter he received from Left Behind Games threatening legal action, received in response to his several posts about Left Behind: Eternal Forces, a controversial game about the army of God after the rapture. Zach posted the letter itself, and notes that it is a ...
by Ian Bogost July 1, 2007
Italian Government bans Operation Pedopriest as child porn
Political Games, Religious Games
Recently we covered Molleindustria's Operation Pedopriest, a game we suspected would cause controversy. And it has. Molleindustria has removed the game from their website after a point of order in the Italian Parliament move to call the game "virtual pedo-pornography" under an Italian law that makes it illegal to depict ...
by Ian Bogost July 19, 2006
Video Game Evangelism
Console & PC Games, Religious Games
Brian Crecente of Kotaku and the Rocky Mountain News just wrote an article on Left Behind: Eternal Forces, which we've discussed here before (and he also blogs it at Kotaku). Brian asks if the game might be "the first mainstream PC agenda game," and also offers a preview of the ...
by Ian Bogost June 9, 2006
The Rapture will be Advertised
Advergames, Console & PC Games, Religious Games
Left Behind Games, creators of the forthcoming Left Behind: Eternal Forces, have announced a deal to include in-game advertising via the Double Fusion network. The game is based on the wildly popular book series of the same name, in which believers left behind after the rapture battle the army of ...
by Ian Bogost December 30, 2005
Is your PC ready for the Rapture?
Religious Games, Social Games
For those of you who don't know it, Tim F. LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins have penned some 14 novels about life on earth after the rapture. Taken together with the associated kids books, graphic novels, audio books, fresh poultry, armored cars, vacation timeshares, and dutch ovens, the series has ...
by Ian Bogost November 7, 2005
iBelieve - social commentary goes meta
Political Games, Religious Games, Social Games
I'm breaking the rules a little with this post. It has very little to do with videogames. But it's too good to pass up, and it does relate to the broader themes of our project. In a brilliant move, artist Scott Wilson created iBelieve, a cross-shaped lanyard and cap for ...
by Ian Bogost November 1, 2005
Live from the Serious Games Summit DC (day 2)
General, Religious Games
Here we are at day two of the Serious Games Summit DC 2005. I'll be live blogging to the best of my ability today. For my coverage from yesterday, click here. There were many concurrent sessions both days, and I had a talk both today and yesterday, du ring which ...
by Gonzalo Frasca August 5, 2005
Holy games
Religious Games
Wired reports from the Christian Game Developers Conference in Portland, Oregon. I find particularly interesting that the article is so concerned about the violence or lack of it in these Christian games. Why would Christian games need to be non-violent? Has anybody read the Bible lately? I mean, the book ...
by Ian Bogost July 28, 2005
Islam games, Christian games, ...
Console & PC Games, Educational Games, Political Games, Religious Games
We recently reported on the 4th Christian Game Developers Conference, happening this week in Portland. On a related and unrelated note, I recently came upon this op-ed (thanks to Andrew), by NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman. Friedman cites a WCJ report that the Iqra Learning Center, a site investigated after ...
by Gonzalo Frasca July 26, 2005
Christians + Game
General, Religious Games
News.com reports (via Reuters) on Christian games. As you may know, the 4th Christian Game Developers Conference (CGDC) will take place this week in Portland, Oregon. The Reuters report includes some interesting facts and sales figures, as well as quoting some of the developers. ...
by Gonzalo Frasca June 21, 2005
Equipping Game Developers to Glorify God
Activism Games, Religious Games
The 4th Christian Game Developers Conference is taking place on July 28-30th in Portland, Oregon. Along with Ian, we have promised ourselves to attend for a couple of years now, but we have always been too busy. I don't think I'll make it this year neither, but I don't lose ...
by Ian Bogost June 3, 2005
Power Politics free for Educators
Educational Games, Political Games, Religious Games
WCG regular Randy Chase has just announced that his prexy election sim Power Politics III (on WCG: 1, 2) is now free for use in the classroom. The new version will also have likely '08 candidates. Click through for the full press release. ...
by Ian Bogost May 19, 2005
E3: The Bible Game
Console & PC Games, Educational Games, Religious Games, Social Games
I'm running a bit behind with E3 coverage, but I'm going to try to catch up today. While everyone else covers the predictable stuff, I'm going to try to share my impressions of the more unique games on the floor this year. I knew about The Bible Game from Crave ...
by Gonzalo Frasca May 1, 2005
Ressurection = Bonus Life?
Activism Games, Religious Games
Going to the Christian Game Developers Conference has been a plan that Ian and myself have postponed a couple of times now. Every year, as July approaches, we feel the urge to witness this "alternative" GDC held in Portland, Oregon (a fantastic city in spite of the rain). Note to ...
by Ian Bogost March 20, 2005
Halo for Jesus
Console & PC Games, Religious Games, Social Games
This is different. The Christian Post writes on How to Witness Using Halo 2, a rather bizarre account of how youth ministers are teaching kids to use Halo 2 to "testify the faith." Apparently the ministries really don't like Halo 2 (on account of its violence), but they perceive the ...
by Ian Bogost July 25, 2004
Religion and Games
Religious Games, Social Games
Two notes on this topic. First, a reminder that next week, from 29 July - 1 August, is the Christian Game Developer's Conference in Portland Oregon. It's not too late to register, and the cost is a very reasonable US$40. Second, Gamer Dad has a great article up about representations ...
by Gonzalo Frasca April 20, 2004
Games go to Church
Religious Games, Social Games
Ship of Fools, a hip Christian online magazine ("the magazine of Christian unrest") will launch Church of Fools on May 11th, 2004. It is going to be a 3 month online game project. They have a project description and some pics. The projects builds up on The Ark, a Big-Brother ...
by Ian Bogost March 29, 2004
Game and Holograms for Peace in Jerusalem
Political Games, Religious Games
Wired reports on a plan to use a blimp, holographic temple, and MMOG to bring peace to the middle east. ...
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An Atari Travels
Exergames, Microtalks, Nuovo Sessions, and More
Exhaust Objects
We Have Never Been Threshing
Shell Games
Comments
mikejohnsonrules on My Appearance on The Colbert Report
Robert Jackson on Exhaust Objects
anxiousmodernman on Exergames, Microtalks, Nuovo Sessions, and More
Alvaro Cavalcanti on How to Turn Heavy Rain into a Restroom Simulator
Carl on Philosopher Slab Poems, in Pixels and Letters
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