Game Development with a Humane Touch
Can Mobile games be something more than just a source of entertainment? With billions of users worldwide hooked to their phone, playing some game or another, mobile games today have an unparalleled reach and impact on human minds. There are many instances where online players bonded during game play and left a positive impact in the real lives of fellow gamers. May be with a more humane approach, mobile games can also become tools for self-improvement, community building, and societal change.
There are few successful examples already - Alto’s Odyssey and Prune are lauded by users for their calming visuals and relaxing theme.
Games like Florence and Gris triumphantly delve into the themes of grief, relationship and self-redemption.
“I feel a lot like Florence in the sense of being stuck somewhere with no inspiration to push me forward. This kinda inspired to me to get up and try to go on. Thanks for the ride”
Says one of the play store reviews for Florence.
While On one of the gameplay videos of Gris, here is a comment -
“..its a masterpiece .For all who have to fight with Depression like myself i wanna say: you are Not alone .Hope you all find light like this sweet Girl!”
Then there are numerous games which enhance cognitive skills through engaging game play and puzzle solving such as Lumosity, Monument Valley and Brain Out.
With the success of games like Pokémon GO and Zombies, Run! which focus on real life physical activities, we can expect more fitness-focused games in future efficiently aided by the rapidly evolving AR and VR technologies.
Gaming experience is also becoming more inclusive. For example - EndeavorRx is the first FDA-approved video game to treat ADHD in children ages 8–17. In future we will soon games catering to marginalised sections of society and individuals with disabilities.
Hopefully soon, Game Development with humane touch will
emerge as more mainstream gaming genre.
