The console, computer, and touchscreen gaming revolution is happening all around us with a tremendous velocity. For those who never grew up with electronic games, it is a strange and confusing phenomena that raises many questions and concerns. Despite that, a group of Finnish gaming professionals have taken the task to educate parents in the most neutral and objective way possible.
Parents are worried about their children, who prefer to stare at screens filled with flashing lights and banging sounds, instead of going out to play tag or football like they used to do. A very justified concern, no arguments there, but it’s clear that opinions on the effects of gaming have taken a turn towards extremes. Parents think that video games are bad, gamers believe they are good, but few take the path of compromise. Accusations are made from one side to the other and constructive discussion is rare.
Funded by Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture and made by the co-operation of internet professionals, gamers, game designers, researchers and gaming addiction prevention workers, the response is the Gamebreeders Manual, a free book for educational purposes.
It might at first seem to be primarily intended for children, but the books target-audience knows no age. Anyone who is nothing more than just a little interested in modern gaming can read the book, and gain informative insight on how games truly affect us, both in good and bad. If you, as a parent, as a teacher or even as an entrepreneur in a startup company, have any questions related to digital games, this book might just have the answers.
In a world where games have a significant influence on how children develop and become individuals with their own sets of values, it is now more important than ever that people civilize their knowledge and update their beliefs concerning games. Game education might sound silly for us, but it could be quite normal in the future.
Unfortunately this educational masterpiece is only available in Finnish, so yet another reason to learn its glorious form of communication.
Download the book online or order a free copy!
