How video games tackle the Holocaust
How video games tackle the Holocaust
How video games tackle the Holocaust
By Kristina Reymann-Schneider
May 22, 2023
Summary
The video game, "The Light in the Darkness," then rolls the closing credits that incorporates black and white photographs of children who did not survive the Holocaust , when more than six million Jews were murdered by the Nazis.
It's problematic for the Holocaust to not appear in games, says Christian Huberts of the Foundation for Digital Games Culture, which wants to encourage developers to have greater sensitivity towards this topic.
Huberts told DW that, while it may have been unthinkable a decade ago to represent Nazi crimes in video games, there's since been a shift in sensibilities within the games industry.
Due to laws in Germany banning the depiction of unconstitutional symbols such as Nazi swastikas in public - including in video games - all elements of the game that could be illegal in Germany were removed from the German version.
Video games may also show unconstitutional symbols when their depiction serves "To promote the arts or science, research or teaching, reporting about current or historical events, or similar purposes."
Video games are a good way to learn, confirms Huberts.
Video games shouldn't replace books, exhibitions and documentaries about the Holocaust.
Reference
Reymann-Schneider, K. (2023, May 22). How video games tackle the holocaust. dw.com. https://www.dw.com/en/how-video-games-tackle-the-holocaust/a-65626971