Christian Game Developers Aim to Capture the Youth

|TOP|In the midst of a world that is increasingly developing games bombarded with violence and sex, Christian game developers are emerging into the scene to make new products that will spark a positive effect to young people.

"It's time we give kids an alternative to the visuals and stories they're seeing today," said Bill Bean, president of the Association of Christian Entertainment (ACE). "The talent, the resources, and the demand is there for top-notch games, movies and TV shows that emphasize values instead of violence, character instead of carnage."

While the Christian video game segment is still small compared to secular games, many believe it will bring about a strong impact to the game industry, just as Contemporary Christian music has hugely impacted the music industry.

"The industry portfolio of Christian games for computers, Xbox and Playstation is quickly growing," says Bean, who serves as vice president of marketing and sales for Digital Praise Inc., an award-winning developer of Christian themed, family-friendly entertainment software. "Considering the level of talent involved, it's only a matter of time before a breakout title comes along that defines and legitimizes the category."

|AD|Recently the creators of Veggie Tales, Big Idea Incorporated, has released five personal computer titles, the most recent being "Minnesota Cuke and the Coconut Apes."

"Big Idea has released PC games over the last few years and has been impressed by the market's appetite for Veggie Tales-branded games. We are committed to the family friendly, Christian values based game category and are continuing to develop branded products to add to our catalog," said Greg Fritz, Marketing VP for Big Idea Inc.

In addition, Digital Praise has brought seven successful products to market. Its Dance Praise dance arcade game, which features Christian rock artists and a host of innovative dance features, has been a hit with young people. Left Behind Games has developed "LEFT BEHIND: Eternal Forces," the first PC game based on the Left Behind(R) series of books by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, which have become one of the top-selling fiction series of all time.

"When the printing press was invented, it was inspired by the desire to make the Bible accessible to everyone. Today, people of passion who want to share their faith and provide quality entertainment for families are working in one of the most powerful media of our time--the interactive video game," said Moore, marketing and business development head at GarageGames.