Jesse Schell's closing keynote from Games4Change 2011

1. Make Games, Not War
Jesse Schell

2. A Simple Survey
1) In terms of their ability to change people’s
behavior, video games are:
a) Less powerful than other media
b) More powerful than other media
2) Videogames tend to change people:
a) For the worse
b) For the better

5. Now the hard question
3) Playing videogames tends to make people:
a) More likely to reason and promote peace
b) More likely to fight and promote war
c) Neither
d) I have no idea

13. Why are videogames so violent?
• A world where…
– You can do anything
– No one gets hurt
– Verbal communication is awkward or impossible

18. Opinion Scorecard
Peace War
• Violence comes easily

19. Is simulated violence bad?

20. Jackie Kashian
It’s true that there are plenty of videogames that tiny
children shouldn’t play. I am a grown up lady, and I need to
shoot people.
I think It’s best if it occurs fictionally.

21. Videogame Revenues
30
25
20
15
Billions of US Revenues
10
5
0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Violent Crime
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5 Millions of Violent Crimes
1
0.5
0
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

22. Opinion Scorecard
Peace War
• Catharsis • Inherently violent

24. Desensitization to Violence

27. Opinion Scorecard
Peace War
• Catharsis • Violence comes easily
• Desensitization to violence

30. Opinion Scorecard
Peace War
• Catharsis • Violence comes easily
• Desensitization to violence
• Videogames train you to kill

31. “Exploring, in a safe and controlled context, what is impossible or too dangerous or
forbidden is a crucial tool in accepting the limits of reality. Playing with rage is a
valuable way to reduce its power. Being evil and destructive in imagination is a vital
compensation for the wildness we all have to surrender on our way to being good
people.” – Kutner and Olson

32. Opinion Scorecard
Peace War
• Catharsis • Inherently violent
• Control • Desensitization to violence
• Videogames train you to kill

33. The Orc

35. Opinion Scorecard
Peace War
• Catharsis • Violence comes easily
• Control • Desensitization to violence
• Videogames train you to kill
• Humans inherently racist?

42. Dani Bunten Berry
CGDC 1991 CGDC 1992

47. Opinion Scorecard
Peace War
• Catharsis • Violence comes easily
• Control • Desensitization to violence
• No more race / language • Videogames train you to kill
barriers? • Humans inherently racist?

48. Hayley’s Story

52. Opinion Scorecard
Peace War
• Catharsis • Violence comes easily
• Control • Desensitization to violence
• No more race / language • Videogames train you to kill
barriers? • Humans inherently racist?
• See others POV

53. What drives real world violence?

54. Violence is Communication

57. “Long experience has taught me that the
crux of my fortunes is whether I can radiate
good will toward my audience. There is only
one way to do it and that is to feel it. You
can fool the eyes and minds of the audience,
but you cannot fool their hearts.”
- Howard Thurston

58. “I got into television because I
hated it so. And I thought there
was some way of using this
fabulous instrument to be of
nurture to those who would
watch and listen."
“I believe that those of us
who are the producers and
purveyors of television -- or
video games or newspapers
or any mass media -- I believe
that we are the servants of
this nation.”

60. Persuaders Fulfillers
Artists Humanitarians

61. Persuaders

62. Fulfillers

63. Artists

64. Humanitarians

65. Persuaders Fulfillers
Artists Humanitarians

75. Thanks!
Email: jesse@schellgames.com
Twitter: @jesseschell
Slides: jesseschell.com