Drayton Cosby and his team of video game developers are working on a Biblically-inspired video game about King David.
Anointed: Heart of David is the first in a series that they hope will feature many more Bible characters and Christian themes.
VIDEO SCRIPT
The video game industry is much bigger than you probably think. In terms of revenue and time spent with media, video gaming is huge. In fact, in the US, it generates more revenue than the motion picture and music industries combined. However, for Christians seeking Biblically inspired video games, the options have been limited.
Drayton Cosby is the founder of Intelligent Media and Design, and he’s on a mission to change the video gaming narrative.
The mission and the purpose of IMD is really to reach a lost generation of video gamers that are in sore need of, uh, God’s word. And so we wanna redeem that, that game space for the glory of God.
Cosby’s Company is not only developing Christian-themed video games, they’re making them available for free in an attempt to make biblical stories both accessible and highly engaging.
And so we believe too, that people are attracted to games because of the multi-sensory learning and the audio and the visual and all that comes with [00:01:00] that. You know, what we wanna try is get them excited about God’s word and a medium in a place where they wanna be met.
Brad Hickey wrote his doctoral dissertation on video games from a Christian perspective, and he heads up the Gaming Guild at Dordt University. According to Hickey, meeting gamers where they’re at with an authentically crafted product is key.
I think that Christian game developers should offer the people something that’s real, not just a watered-down Christianity to play it safe. Because if you want, especially Gen Z, to play these things, you gotta reach them. It’s gotta meet them where they’re at. For Christians who want to make good things, you just do what you love, do what you’re called to do, what you’re passionate about, and make it, well, almost nine years I’ve been gaming online, and it’s pretty much all I do.
Isaac Salazar is an avid gamer and a Christian, and he was intrigued by the idea of a video game that incorporates scripture and biblical values.
So when I played the demo Anointed Heart of David, it like displayed Bible verses, stuff like that. Um, to come across the screen when you’re going certain trials. I thought it was a really cool concept, like a really, really cool concept to come off. Um, just because it’s, I felt like it’s untapped territory.
Video games as a medium are a powerful tool, and up until now, the content has been either very dark or has lacked purpose completely. So we have now taken this powerful tool and try to make sure that we use it to glorify the Lord and make sure that he has a dwelling place somewhere that people can go to, uh, when they’re really looking for his guidance.
Reporting for Global News Alliance, I am Sam Ebersole.
People Interviewed and their Titles
Drayton Cosby, CEO and Founder of Intelligent Media & Design
Brad Hickey, Director of Gaming at Dordt University
Isaic Salazar, Video Game Enthusiast
Organization featured in this Story
Intelligent Media & Design, https://imdinteractive.org/ , Dordt University, https://www.dordt.edu/
Reporter/Producer for the story
Sam Ebersole
Story Provider/Contact
Samuel Ebersole, sebersole@gna.news
Producing Organization
GNA.news
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