I may have mentioned before my respect for games that push the limits regarding thematic matter and controversial content (provide of course, it's handled tastefully). These games can open up powerful discussions and show that games are capable of spreading messages and tackling difficult issues.
These games need to be made more, but companies need to know the limit. Or the current limit at least. A game too controversial would be unprofitable, as well as reflect badly on the developers. However, by continuously pushing at the limit in deliberate strikes, we can slide it back, allowing games to provide important messages. However, this means the companies need to devote resources to studying current events, ethical issues, and other controversial topics. They would also have to be able to create these things the correct way. A story from the viewpoint of a murderer evading the cops would be interesting, but it would have to show a horrible life, various difficult decisions, and if the game did not glorify the action. Making battles legitimately horrifying and uncomfortable experiences would allow an amount of emotional resonance between the player and character. Some games, like Spec Ops: The Line, already do things like this to make the game effect the players more.
Companies should put more resources into figuring out topics and themes that would stretch the boundaries and make interesting stories and points rather than using the same established formula over and over again. Now I'm not saying someone should come out tomorrow with a game about infanticide, but some small indie developer with nothing to lose could find something that people don't want to talk about, like human trafficking, and make a point about using games to make useful points, or provide a new perspective on an issue. This would prove gaming as versatile a media as the television for providing moving stories with real world impact.
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