Kids Game Helps Cancer Understanding

While Rockstar is wrestling with hookers and strip joints, and news about the latest in the political tap-dance on video games makes the rounds, this one is kind of a refreshing change of pace.

Serious games, or games that serve purposes in excess of pure entertainment, are garnering a lot of attention for their good guy foil to the darker side of the industry. I personally am all for any game that can a) make non-gamers think differently about video games, b) make gamers themselves think about what they play and what lies outside the scope of that, and c) makes kids going through tough times feel better.

Re-Mission, the cleverly titled offering from Hope Lab, is the result of a collaborative efforts between science and entertainment to assist children and teenagers who are battling cancer in better understanding their disease. Don’t be fooled by the good intentions; this ain’t no cheesy flash game with all the entertainment value of a crusty falafel. Oh no. Re-Mission is a fully 3-D and fully interactive title developed with the input of gaming patients to ensure that it was packed with fun. A huge bonus is the active and supportive online community that is developing around this game, with message boards and blogs available for perusing and commenting through the main site.

The inspiration for the project came from an immunology researcher, who saw the need for better education for young patients in a way that would actually interest them. According to the official site, the creation of Re-Mission went a little something like this:

Imagine that you’re working in a research laboratory during the day. You watch cancer cells multiplying under a microscope. At night, you go home and play video games with your family and friends. Then you get the idea that a video game for young people with cancer might play a positive role in helping them fight their disease. A video game designed especially for kids with cancer might give them a feeling of power over their disease as they blast away at the cancer cells. And you could use top-notch research to test the game and see if it really would help the kids. That’s exactly what Pam Omidyar imagined. And in 2001, she founded HopeLab to make this idea a reality.

Serious game or not, I’m an immunology nerd and I’d play it. Would you?

Via | GamePolitics