Graduation Year
2016
Date of Submission
4-2016
Document Type
Open Access Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Religious Studies
Reader 1
Gaston Espinosa
Rights Information
© 2016 Joshua K. Boren
Abstract
Video games offer a liberating, virtual-community building and meaning-making out-of-body experience for those that wholeheartedly engage in them. The lore and backstory of some of the most popular games (League of Legends, Kingdom Hearts, and World of Warcraft) are heavily influenced by all types of religion. In addition, and contrary to popular perception, a growing number of video games offer a global medium for instilling positive morals in society. As a result, video games become a religious placeholder or pseudo-religion for many of the most devoted gamers, because they offer many of the same experiences that religions do. This can be a potential explanation as to why organized religion is on the downswing in America.
Recommended Citation
Boren, Joshua K., "Playing God: An Analysis of Video Game Religion" (2016). CMC Senior Theses. 1424.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/1424
