'Left Behind' Game to Implement In-Game Advertising

[Kefkataran]

Controversial Christian-marketed strategy game Left Behind: Eternal Forces is apparantly going to use in-game advertising. Next Generation (http://www.next-gen.biz) brings us this story (http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3177&Itemid=2):

"We love the idea of the video screens in Times Square displaying current advertising, actually contributing to the realism that gamers expect to see in a pseudo-futuristic New York City," said Troy Lyndon, CEO and co-founder of Left Behind Games. "We selected Double Fusion because of their relationships with ad agencies worldwide, advertising industry knowledge and because of their willingness to make a commitment to support our family-friendly views when choosing advertisers.""The title offers a tremendous platform for advertisers, both mainstream and faith-based, to reach the gaming audience in a family-friendly environment," said Jonathan Epstein, president and CEO of Double Fusion.
This may very well have been the last game I'd expect to be on the forefront of video game advertising, but I suppose there's potentially a big market that can be reached with this? I know we have some pretty hardcore Christians who are also gamers on EvAv. I guess in-game advertising really is the way of the future.

[violentp]

They should make a game based on Left Below instead.

[agentgray]

Kef may be talking about me, but there is no way I will be purchasing this game. I cannot stand it when publishers and the entertainment industry use "Christian" to get numbers and money.

The Bible and Christian life is not a game and should not be treated as such. The same goes for other religions.

Please remember that this is all my personal opinion and not a group's in particular.

[absolut taco]

The question on everyone's mind is: Will the Preacher character be able to invite some boy for hot coffee?

[absolut taco]

I can see there being billboards of Rush Limbaugh's pompous face saying "Buy my book".

[AntB]

Kef may be talking about me, but there is no way I will be purchasing this game. I cannot stand it when publishers and the entertainment industry use "Christian" to get numbers and money.

The Bible and Christian life is not a game and should not be treated as such. The same goes for other religions.

Please remember that this is all my personal opinion and not a group's in particular.

I don't understand why people can't base fiction on fiction.

[GunnyMo]

Why is it suprising there will be advertising in this game? Religious people have never had a problem throwing away money on useless products. :D

[Sternn]

hey look I found an in-game ad (http://biblical-studies.ca/blog/Jesus_freshmaker.jpg)

[Dabombpizza]

I don't understand why people can't base fiction on fiction.
Don't be an ass. A philosophical text and guide to your spirtitual life that's widely open to multiple interpretations is completely different than a videogame with in game advertising. That's like making a Bhagavad Gita RPG or Descartes' Meditations FPS.

This game (and the book, and the movie) is such a contradiction it hurts my head.

hey look I found an in-game ad
That is awesome!

[captainspankypants]

Wow. Left Behind with in-game advertising, and I just read a story about the Church of Scientology sponsoring a dianetics-themed NASCAR entry (no joke). My perceptions of the world are changing by the minute. Oh, and by the way, this:
I can see there being billboards of Rush Limbaugh's pompous face saying "Buy my book".
Immediately made me think of the automated billboard in the TV show "The Critic," with Jay Sherman waving and saying "Buy my book! ... Buy my book! ... Buy my book! ..."

[Kefkataran]

They should make a game based on Left Below instead.

Left Below?


The Bible and Christian life is not a game and should not be treated as such. The same goes for other religions.

I agree with you, and think if I was still strongly Catholic I'd feel this way.

[The Mystery Cow]

That's like making a Bhagavad Gita RPG or Descartes' Meditations FPS.


I think I'd probably buy both of those. I'd also plunk down some hard-earned cash for Plato's Ion - Dance Dance Rhythm X-Treme.

[Kefkataran]

Holy crap, I'm with Mystery Cow, by the way.

[Intruder]

This is what I was referring to in the other thread, right off the bat anything religious starts getting hammered. Kinda predictable and sad. My thoughts are, that this game is great if you are religious and wanna play it. I do not. Simple as that no need to mock a persons beliefs. Have you guys ever thought that those who are religious here might want to read this article and not face the overtly blatent "religion is for morons" crowd that seems to decend like a swarm of locusts on each thread that mentions religion?

[Dabombpizza]

I think I'd probably buy both of those. I'd also plunk down some hard-earned cash for Plato's Ion - Dance Dance Rhythm X-Treme.
Achieve the Forms for perfect style! I'd want to see a Socrates Adventure game akin to Indigo Prophecies. You walk around and questions until you're thrown in jail. Then you die. Thrilling plot.

[Dabombpizza]

This is what I was referring to in the other thread, right off the bat anything religious starts getting hammered. Kinda predictable and sad. My thoughts are, that this game is great if you are religious and wanna play it. I do not. Simple as that no need to mock a persons beliefs. Have you guys ever thought that those who are religious here might want to read this article and not face the overtly blatent "religion is for morons" crowd?
Let's see, it's great if you are a judgmental bigot Christian, which is essentially what the Left Behind books are. That and a ficticious imagination of what revelations could possibly mean.

Christiantiy is supposed to be about compassion and love, not judgement and in game advertising. This game is not going to get hammered because it's religious, but because it's a distortion of what it claims to be.

A real christian game would not be about death and destruction, rather it would be forgiveness and teaching. And that's boring.

Now an Old Testament game, that would rock.

Level 8 - Escape from Gammora!
Tip - Don't turn around!

[Knite]

The Bible and Christian life is not a game and should not be treated as such. The same goes for other religions.


I disagree. First off, life IS a game. There's winners, there's losers, and a game over. Even if you are a god fearing individual, there's tasks you must pass (ten commandments), and levels you must achieve (doing unto others and such), to get to the goal (heaven), and if you fail, it's the big Game Over (hell). There's nothing more "untouchable" about Christian life, than there is about any other life out there. How is creating a game about a serial killer mentality "manhunt", mob/crime life, or sports life somehow more appropriate? If anything, couldn't a game involving Christian life be a positive thing if done right?


Another thing to think about is the Bible is a medium. It is a form of media designed to pass ideas from one person to another through it's scripture. A video game is also a media. Designed to pass ideas from one (or a group of) people, from that first group to another through it's plots, graphics, audio, etc. I hate to say it, but there's people out there making money off the Bible too. And I don't mean people like Dan Brown using ideas in it for something else. I mean the people publishing, rights owners, and stores and churches who sell it, all can make quite a pretty penny.

The reason I personally feel we HAVE such problems today isn't because people are bashing other people. It's that we CARE about it.

[Mason]

Achieve the Forms for perfect style! I'd want to see a Socrates Adventure game akin to Indigo Prophecies. You walk around and questions until you're thrown in jail. Then you die. Thrilling plot.
How about a puzzle game based on the Allegory of the Cave?

This game has seemed to be about cashing in on everything it possibly can, so I'm not surprised about the advertising.

[Intruder]

Let's see, it's great if you are a judgmental bigot Christian, which is essentially what the Left Behind books are. That and a ficticious imagination of what revelations could possibly mean.

Christiantiy is supposed to be about compassion and love, not judgement and in game advertising. This game is not going to get hammered because it's religious, but because it's a distortion of what it claims to be.

A real christian game would not be about death and destruction, rather it would be forgiveness and teaching. And that's boring.

Now an Old Testament game, that would rock.

Level 8 - Escape from Gammora!
Tip - Don't turn around!


All true, but my point was more that no matter the thread, if anything religious is posted it gets slammed. I for one am not religious at all, but I do find it disturbing that the majority of posts in any "religious" thread, are ones bashing the religion or those who believe in it.

[Kelegacy]

This game is going to fuckin' ROCK!

Preordering now.

[drakkarim]

Imperial Cola goes well with Bravil cheese i hear...

[bapenguin]

The Bible and Christian life is not a game and should not be treated as such. The same goes for other religions.

While I agree religion is "not a game" a lot of people believe the church needs to modernize itself. It's a major reason why so many people are looking at alternative religions or abandoning religion all together.

Something like this MAY be a step in the right direction. There's no reason for the presentation of a religion to remain as old as the religion itself.

[bapenguin]

This game is going to fuckin' ROCK!

Preordering now.

Yeah man, you can be Pirate Ninja Jesus. He's got killer throwing cross action!

[Akeldama]

Seeing as Left Behind is a money making parasite that's somehow managed invade Christianity - despite the core philosophy of the books not fitting with mainstream Christian teachings - I'm not surprised about this story (I actually wrote the Next-Gen piece).

Left Behind has appeared as books, movies and a kid's book series too. So it's really not scared of taking its slice of pie.

[Dabombpizza]

How about a puzzle game based on the Allegory of the Cave?


You would have to guess what the shadows on the wall are, and when you win you get to walk into the sunlight!

Another thing to think about is the Bible is a medium. It is a form of media designed to pass ideas from one person to another through it's scripture. A video game is also a media. Designed to pass ideas from one (or a group of) people, from that first group to another through it's plots, graphics, audio, etc.

I can see that. But this is not that game.

[gzsfrk]

Left Below?

I believe this was a Simpsons reference:

http://newsaic.com/ftvsimpsons1619i.html

"Left Below" was a movie Homer goes to see which is a parody of the "Left Behind" movie.

[gzsfrk]

The Bible and Christian life is not a game and should not be treated as such. The same goes for other religions.

Well, that's true--Christianity is not a game. But neither is war, and yet the market is hardly lacking in titles which convert what should otherwise be a chilling and somber activity into a fun game experience.

While I have yet to form any opinion of the game, I'm not cutting it off just because it's set in "Christian Fiction" environment. I've not read the books either, but I've heard that they're interesting and well-written, if not truly Biblically accurate.

If the game comes out, and it has a good supporting story and fun gameplay, then huzzah! If not, then it will be quickly relegated to the bargain bin and forgotten. But to simply skip it because it's set in a psuedo-Christian environment is hardly a valid reason at all to me. After all, I'm not Buddhist or Taoist, but I still found Jade Empire to be a fun game with a great storyline. And I certainly didn't feel like I was being proselytized in the process of playing through it.

[Kefkataran]

This is what I was referring to in the other thread, right off the bat anything religious starts getting hammered. Kinda predictable and sad. My thoughts are, that this game is great if you are religious and wanna play it. I do not. Simple as that no need to mock a persons beliefs. Have you guys ever thought that those who are religious here might want to read this article and not face the overtly blatent "religion is for morons" crowd that seems to decend like a swarm of locusts on each thread that mentions religion?

Actually, I think most the posts before yours really were pretty respectful. Certainly I wasn't trying to make any judgment when I posted this. I think the game's a bit ridiculous, but I don't have a problem with religion.


I believe this was a Simpsons reference:

http://newsaic.com/ftvsimpsons1619i.html

"Left Below" was a movie Homer goes to see which is a parody of the "Left Behind" movie.

Nice! Thanks for pointing that out, man.

I've not read the books either, but I've heard that they're interesting and well-written, if not truly Biblically accurate.

I've read the first book and half of the second. My step-mom loves them. Honestly, they're tripe. It makes me sad that so many Christians buy into them. It's a really horrible example of cashing in on people's beliefs. And the writing is worse than the Da Vinci Code. :\

[agentgray]

While I agree religion is "not a game" a lot of people believe the church needs to modernize itself. It's a major reason why so many people are looking at alternative religions or abandoning religion all together.

Something like this MAY be a step in the right direction. There's no reason for the presentation of a religion to remain as old as the religion itself.
I don't disagree with your comments one bit.

EDIT: I mean your first statement. I don't think making Christianity a video game is the best step in the right direction, but there are definitely other ways that are better

[Knite]

I can see that. But this is not that game.

Actually dabomb, what I was saying is that ALL video games are nothing more than a medium. A transport for ideas. Whether or not the ideas are "good" or the conveyance of those ideas are well done, it's still nothing more than a medium, just like a book (which the Bible is, whether written under direct influence of God or not), or movie, or even music.

I dunno. I guess I just don't understand why a topic such as Christianity people feel is taboo for criticism, or "making light of" but yet, some of the same people feel it's ok to play (and enjoy) video games where you kill cops with baseball bats, nuke entire military facilities ("nuclear launch detected"), kill mexicans by the boatload with automatic machine guns, etc. etc. etc. (Not saying I have a problem with those games. I have a problem with the double standard.)

[laggerific]

advertising and marketing are key parts in brainwashing people, so it doesnt surprise me.

[EternalGamer]

While I agree religion is "not a game" a lot of people believe the church needs to modernize itself. It's a major reason why so many people are looking at alternative religions or abandoning religion all together.

Something like this MAY be a step in the right direction. There's no reason for the presentation of a religion to remain as old as the religion itself.


But the problem here baps is that games and other "Christian" products don't attempt to modernize the message for a modern world. If anything they eliminate the message. "Jesus" just becomes another brand name like Abercrombie and Fitch. And if you think that is an exageration you should go to a Church Youth Group or Christian High School sometime. I'm just waiting for "Jesus: The Cola" carbonated beverage to make it complete.

And Kef, I don't know why it surprises you that this will have in game advertising, as other as have mentioned the entire game is about taking a book that is suppose to be a profound text to be explored and thought about and turning it into a brandname to market.

Dabombpizza pretty much already made my point for me in this. You would never find "Daoism Rock" or "Buddhist Rap" music. It's because people of these faith seem like they actually respect the tennants enough not to reduce them into a label that they can just plaster all over everything. I dont' doubt that one day we might see "Qu'ran: The RPG" but that also will just be an attempt at nationalism and brandlabeling.

This sort of thing does nothing but bankrupt the values of the philosophy it claims to promote. Being a Christian means attempting to live your life by the Bible's core principles (whatever you discern them to be), not buying everything that says "Jesus" on it. If Christ were alive today, these guys would be getting a holy boot to the ass just like he did to those guys hawking their wares in the temple.

[gzsfrk]

If Christ were alive today, these guys would be getting a holy boot to the ass just like he did to those guys hawking their wares in the temple.

Warez in the Temple? You mean, they had software pirates around back in Jesus' time? Killer! Learn something new every day... ;)

[jeditanuki]

Is there a way we can put all in-game advertising in this game and only in this game? That way I'd never have to see any of it.

[Kefkataran]

But the problem here baps is that games and other "Christian" products don't attempt to modernize the message for a modern world.

This is true of most Christian products, indeed. If you want a good example of successfully (both philosophically and artistically) modernizing the Christian message (or some of it), check out the comic Testament. Great stuff.

[AzN.Homeboy]

EternalGamer's post was the best and most level headed post I've ever seen about religion on the internet. Seriously.

[Kefkataran]

Dan (EternalGamer) is good for that.

[agentgray]

This is true of most Christian products, indeed. If you want a good example of successfully (both philosophically and artistically) modernizing the Christian message (or some of it), check out the comic Testament. Great stuff.
Haha. Try the Chronicles of Narnia as well. The allegory is all there.

[Blue]

Haha. Try the Chronicles of Narnia as well. The allegory is all there.

I think it's funny that Lewis always stated that the books were never meant to be taken as allegory for anything and that putting religious themes onto it wasn't right. I can't not read those books and see Christian themes. S'blatant.

Anyhow - I'm already bothered enough by the authors and their near constant chase for money. I think it's cool that they came out with books that were accessible for most (easy reads) and that Christians and maybe non-Christians could get a kick out of, but now for me it just looks like they're running for the cash prize. That may have been the case all along, I ain't the one to say, but it was much less obvious then. Now with the game and all these spin-off books set in the Left-Behind world (I mean seriously, it's only a seven year period following a fairly tight schedule....there can't be THAT many stories to tell in it), it's really starting to get to me. This is the crap that bothers me with being a Christian sometimes. I'm fairly laid back, I'll pop in during a discussion, but I'm not going to start drilling what I think into someone. This milking of a once not-too-shabby idea is crap.

That said: I'm really curious as to what the in-game ads are going to be. If an ad actually fits well within a game's mechanics (say a Coke machine in an office during a Splinter Cell level), then whatever. That's fine. But a giant billboard talking about, say, their other books or various Churches or whatever is really over-the-top.

I'm so tempted to pick up this game out of morbid curiousity, though I have no desire to give them any of my money.

[drakkarim]

Seeing as Left Behind is a money making parasite that's somehow managed invade Christianity - despite the core philosophy of the books not fitting with mainstream Christian teachings - I'm not surprised about this story (I actually wrote the Next-Gen piece).


I would venture to say that its Christianity that is the money making (social) parasite, hence, the game mirrors reality quite well.

I would further venture to say, that in the distant future (if we ever manage to evolve further), Christianity itself will be viewed as nothing more then 'another' religion used to control/manipulate the masses while using its own tenets to further its own existence. No different then ALL the religions previous to it: its an 'easy out' for those that can't handle thinking and (your god forbid) realizing that the human mind is not currently capable (nor will it probably ever be) of answering/comprehending absolutely everything in and out of existance/reality.

The sad truth these days is that half of those spewing the 'message' (from ALL religions) actually believe it themselves. What was the saying?... "if you repeat a lie long enough, people will believe it...".

[captainspankypants]

Most people aren't against religion, they're against hypocrits and opportunists. drakkarim appears to be the exception, though I can't really tell if he's being sarcastic or not. Seriously, most people don't care what you believe in, but if you're being a dickhead they'll still call you on it.

The Left Behind license has a slight hint of actual Christian teaching, but it's buried under a whole lot of dickheadedness.

[agentgray]

I think it's funny that Lewis always stated that the books were never meant to be taken as allegory for anything and that putting religious themes onto it wasn't right. I can't not read those books and see Christian themes. S'blatant.
Really? I see a lot of people mention that but I've never had anyone show me a link or give me a reputable source to back that up. Have you ever read any of his other books (fiction and non)? They all have some type of allegorical meaning, including his sci-fi trilogy. (I think that most people don't see the doctrinal issues he dealt with because they are not really looking for them).

I'll make my heresay claim. I thought he even criticized his friend Tolkein becuase there was no allegory and "spritual meaning" to the LoTR books.

I'm not attacking at all. I just need that proof he said that. You might be the one who can clear that up.

[Blue]

One of the copies of the series I have has a forward written by him that roughly states as much. Also, on the second disc of the Narnia DVD, there's a lengthy bit about Lewis and his life and it talks about his distaste for that quite a bit, though that could be wrong. I'm sure that it's very possible that he always says that it has nothing to do with religion to try and have people just read it rather than placing a lot of stuff on it to make it out to be something he never wanted.

I'll see if I can hunt down my book to see what the quote is exactly. And I also think I remember reading somewhere what you said about his Tolkein statement.

[Mephistopheles]

Really? I see a lot of people mention that but I've never had anyone show me a link or give me a reputable source to back that up. Have you ever read any of his other books (fiction and non)? They all have some type of allegorical meaning, including his sci-fi trilogy. (I think that most people don't see the doctrinal issues he dealt with because they are not really looking for them).

I'll make my heresay claim. I thought he even criticized his friend Tolkein becuase there was no allegory and "spritual meaning" to the LoTR books.

I'm not attacking at all. I just need that proof he said that. You might be the one who can clear that up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia#Christian_parallels

A couple of interesting quotes there from Lewis on the topic of whether or not the story is allegorical.

[Soap]

You would never find "Daoism Rock" or "Buddhist Rap" music. It's because people of these faith seem like they actually respect the tennants enough not to reduce them into a label that they can just plaster all over everything.

You wanted Buddhist Rap?

http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=11,800,0,0,1,0

http://www.allhiphop.com/hiphopnews/?ID=4097

Looks like the government (in South East Asia at least) wants it also.

[drakkarim]

Most people aren't against religion, they're against hypocrits and opportunists. drakkarim appears to be the exception, though I can't really tell if he's being sarcastic or not. Seriously, most people don't care what you believe in, but if you're being a dickhead they'll still call you on it.


i wasn't trying to be sarcastic at all. i believe that religion has its place in society, but i despise the influence that religion tries to impose on EVERYONE in society, meaning that they believe that EVERYONE needs to believe in what they believe.

religion at the core is about respect and tolerance, at least that is my impression from what i have read about jesus/mohammed/etc., and yet none of the religions seem to practice anything of the sort. all they can seem to do is tell everyone that if they don't follow their beliefs then they're wrong, period.

how much suffering in this world has been, and IS because of the intolerance of religion, or at the least in the NAME of religion.

i believe that most of the leaders of religions ARE hypocrites and opportunists. as they say, power corrupts.

and yes, i hope that someday in the future people will 'get past' religions and realize that they're all equal and want the same thing in life, peace and happiness, not to be told who to have sex with, when to have it, and who is going to hell and why.

I >personally< have no qualms with gays, them wanting to be married, people making their own choices about abortion, how many wives (or husbands) they want to have, or who they worship in whatever way they want to worship. a person should be allowed to make whatever choice in life they choose to make, AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T INTERFERE with any OTHER person's choice.

tell me what is/was wrong with believing in the Greek gods of the past, or the Roman gods, or the various gods of the native americans, or any of the previously popular religions? the answer is: nothing. society evolved and new religions got created to answer the questions that remained to be answered.

we now know that thunder isn't caused by gods being angry or having wars up in 'heaven', and someday we'll have to 'change' religions again because we'll have found further answers (through science or luck or whatever else) to the things that religion currently tries to substitue for.

[agentgray]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Narnia#Christian_parallels

A couple of interesting quotes there from Lewis on the topic of whether or not the story is allegorical.
Thank you. That is exactly what I was looking for.
"If Aslan represented the immaterial Deity in the same way in which Giant Despair [a character in The Pilgrim's Progress] represents despair, he would be an allegorical figure. In reality however he is an invention giving an imaginary answer to the question, 'What might Christ become like, if there really were a world like Narnia and He chose to be incarnate and die and rise again in that world as He actually has done in ours?' This is not allegory at all."
So it was all a supposition. In one way or another it still had a spiritual aspect, but more of a "what if?"

[IagoTheHunted]

hahahahaha. JESUS SAYS "VIAGRA SAVES"!! Way to sell out.

[Speed_D]

Dabombpizza pretty much already made my point for me in this. You would never find "Daoism Rock" or "Buddhist Rap" music. It's because people of these faith seem like they actually respect the tennants enough not to reduce them into a label that they can just plaster all over everything.
Or in a certain other case, it's because they have a handful of nutjobs who take it upon themselves to riot and kill innocent people when an image of Mohammed is printed.

The problem with (large) religions is that they preach faith instead of critical thinking, as opposed to encouraging both. This allows corrupt leaders to rile the masses into intolerant behavior. It has been, is and will be the source of many conflicts around the world.

Steven Colbert's roast at the White House Correspondence dinner summed it up nicely:

And though I am a committed Christian, I believe that everyone has the right to their own religion, be you Hindu, Jewish or Muslim. I believe there are infinite paths to accepting Jesus Christ as your personal savior.