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Games Can Enact Social Change, Troy Baker Says
Video games are capable of being so much more than simple entertainment or time-wasters, according to prolific voice actor Troy Baker, who has appeared in major franchises such as BioShock, Call of Duty, and The Last of Us. A fan wrote to Baker during a recent Reddit AMA, saying that playing PlayStation 4 game Infamous: Second Son helped her get through the death of her mother.
She went on to ask Baker if he thought games had the power to influence social change. Baker replied: "You are the proof that they can, and that they are. They are doing just that."
"And you are a shining example of the fact that these are not just games, but these experiences help us cope, help us comfort, can guide us and teach us as well as just be an escape," he added. "But yes, you are proof they can do much greater things than just entertain."
Baker went on to say that he thinks video games are already doing much more than just entertaining the people who play them.
"I see the conversations that were sparked by BioShock, Infamous, Last of Us, that touched on very relevant, serious, grounded issues like homosexuality, loss, racism, nationalism," he said.
"And the conversations that were had were not over how to defeat this boss or this level but it's what it means to us as people, as a culture. And those are the conversations that spearhead true change."
Baker's full Reddit AMA, which also touches on how he broke into the game industry and lots more, is a fascinating read. You can read the full post here.
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