By VINCENT OWINO

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Gaming was once nothing more than a pastime, something to beat monotony, distract the brain, or escape reality for a moment. But this is swiftly changing and the gaming industry has become an important tool to enlighten people of all ages on vital issues in society, and to advocate social justice, equality, and fairness.

Bolstered by the pandemic, the gaming industry has become a social lifeline for many, who use video games not just to compete or as a leisure activity, but also to socialise, learn, and drive a course.

In 2021, it was estimated that people spent an average of 8.45 hours a week playing video games — nearly as much time as people spend on social media, according to data by Statista, with the total revenue generated by the industry projected to hit $4 billion this year.

With more than 457 million people expected to be frequent gamers on the continent by 2027, gaming is proving to be a useful tool for organisations to drive a message home.

The African Union is among institutions that have banked on the power of games to enlighten the populace on its mission and mandate, and how it delivers them.

Through Mission 55 - Conflict in Anaka, a mobile video game published on the Google play store last year, AU sought to educate young people on how the continental body applies different techniquesto respond to crises on the continent.

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Although the game has just more than 10,000 downloads, Alice Muini, the project manager at Usiku Games — the company that developed Mission 55 —considers it one of their most successful projects yet because it simplifies what younger generations may consider complex.

“Instead of having people listen to speeches, read books, or get a video about conflict resolution and AU’s role on the continent, gamification provides a fun and interactive way of learning the same things,” she told The EastAfrican.

Apart from Mission 55, Usiku Games has worked with other organisations to produce educative games.

They developed Cyber Soljas, a web-based game, in collaboration with the Communications Authority of Kenya to teach young people on staying safe online.

“It is only through such games that you can turn the complex terms of cybersecurity into something a 10-year-old can understand,” said Ms Muini.

Other games like Maasai Mkali and Mama Mboga, are meant to promote social cohesion and enlighten the youthful population of Kenya’s cultural diversity as part of their ‘Gaming for Good’ initiative.

“We are shifting from producing games that are just casual games to those that are meaningful, hoping to change our society,” Ms Muini said.

“Instead of making vicious games that are destroying the youth, because they’re wasting their time, why not put in elements of education and responsibility into it?”

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Jonathan Shroyer, chief innovation officer at Arise Gaming, an American game development company, argues that if well developed, games can be effective tools for education and activism.

“Video games offer a unique and compelling avenue for educating society and advocating for certain issues, primarily due to their interactive nature and widespread appeal,” he told The EastAfrican.

“This interactivity provides experiential learning, allowing players to understand and empathise with different perspectives.”

As the prominence of games as instruments of social impact and positive change grows, so is the industry’s value and its potential as an avenue for long-term employment. For instance, the Nairobi Game Development Centre — where Usiku Games is housed — has employed over 50 full-time game developers.

According to Mr Shroyer, the gaming industry has begun to “gain recognition as a legitimate and valuable cultural medium, on par with film and literature.”

“This has increased its prestige and the desire of people to work within it. Game development combines creativity with technology, appealing to those with a passion for both.”