Video game biz converting to Christianity

[truthpusher]

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/reuters/0,24012,1086673_10_0_,00.html

Video game biz converting to Christianity
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July 25, 2005 09:35:04
By John Gaudiosi
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LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - While such Mature-rated games as "Resident Evil 4," "Doom 3" and "Halo 2" are widely known for raking in millions for the video game industry, a small but growing number of game developers are creating titles for Christian gamers.

That emerging market segment will be in focus at the fourth annual Christian Game Developers Conference (July 28-30, Portland, Ore.), which hands out awards for the best Christian games of the year and looks to "equip game developers to glorify God."

Sector insiders suggest that like the Christian music market, the religious gaming market has strong potential.

N'Lightning Software CEO Ralph Bagley believes half of the video game crowd is Christian. His company was the first of about 100 Christian game developers to invest in the creation of PC games. Its first title, "Catechumen," cost $830,000 to develop and has sold about 80,000 copies worldwide since its 2001 release, according to the company. The second game, "Ominous Horizons," cost $1 million to create and has sold more than 50,000 copies, it said.

(snip)

"Left Behind: Eternal Forces" is a real-time strategy game set in New York during the End of Days, which will allow gamers to choose between the angelic Tribulation Forces and the demonic Global Community Peacekeepers in a multiplayer online mode. The game is set to ship before Easter.

(snip)

complete story: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/reuters/0,24012,1086673_10_0_,00.html

[NorCalDem]

1. WTF???

Angelic Tribulation Forces vs. the "Demonic GLOBAL COMMUNITY PEACEKEEPERS???" What, are we demonic now because we want world peace?

I know I shouldn't care, it's a video game, but they really should find a different name for the bad-guys.

[celestia671]

16. It's based on the book....

'Left Behind'. The people left behind who became christians after the rapture formed the Tribulation Force, while the antichrist had the Peacekeepers.

[ironman202]

17. cognitive dissonance scheme

[acmejack]

2. Gotta go where the money is

Simple economics! A new & untapped audience.

[Catch22Dem]

3. I want a video game where I can shoot god with a rail gun

What? Did I say something wrong? :shrug:

[Tux]

21. Better idea

I want a Jesus skin so I can use a railgun on other players in a FPS. This time, it's personal.

[Cocoa]

4. I have a prediction

this game will suck.

[CatholicEdHead]

7. Not to those in the "Christian" niche of gaming

overall it will.

[FreedomAngel82]

15. I betcha with that

the kids will beg for it but after a while it'll get boring. They really are going over board with all this. One time Billy Graham's daughter said with merchandise it's nice to have but shouldn't take place of the Bible and all that. And yes, it's all about profit. Like "moral values" (heh) won the election. :eyes: No Bush just stole it again.

[donco6]

9. I'll see that prediction and raise you five. eom

[domlaw]

10. Yep I'd have to agree

See link:

http://www.almenconi.com/topics/games/HeavenBound.html

Quoted from the article:

There is no blood or gore in this game. The enemies are hellhounds and demons.

However it then states

Occult/Supernatural: 20 out of 20
There is no Occult/Supernatural. hmmmmmmm


Now I'm not making fun of these games but graphically and story wise they have a long way to go.

[struggle4progress]

5. Games you win by selling everything and giving the money to the poor?

O8)

[foo_bar]

6. Ultima IV

"Thou hath lost an eighth!"

[eleny]

8. 80K and 50K sold in how many years?

:boring:

[Johonny]

11. That god

A fool and his money are soon parted.

[wli]

12. a Crisis of the Third Century game could be interesting

Constantine could well have been called "The Great" on the basis of his military achievements alone.

OTOH the "Left Behind" tripe is sure to bore me to death.

[nookiemonster]

13. Hey, it's even endorsed by this guy!

[ironman202]

19. i gotta get me one of those!

[FreedomAngel82]

14. Why New York??

I'm surprised not Israel. :eyes: Gotta convert the Jews first!

[msongs]

18. now they are REALLY gonna get bloody and murderous...

just think of the tens or hundreds of millions of people who have been tortured or murdered by christians in the name of jesus in the last 2000 years, like

the holocaust
the african slave trade
the various white slave trades
the deliberate genocides against native populations world wide
the various crusades including the one going on now in Iraq

and hillary thought video games are violent now :-)

Msongs
www.msongs.com/political-shirts.htm

[ConfuZed]

20. They can make them but who the 'heck' is going to buy it...

beside less than half of their target audience?

[DanCa]

22. What was that about false idols and prophets?

Stop the world I want to get off.