Christian Game Developers Conference
| Christian Game Developers Conference | |
|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Video game development |
| Country | United States |
| Inaugurated | 2002 |
| Next event | July 11, 2024 |
| Attendance | 100 (2012), 150 (2017) |
| Website | cgdc |
The Christian Game Developers Conference (CGDC) is an annual conference for video game developers who profess the Christian religion. Attendees of the conference gather together to discuss how to improve their games through discussions, keynote speeches, and workshops.[1][2]
History
[edit]The Christian Game Developers Conference was founded in 2002 by computer engineer Tim Emmerich from Corvallis, Oregon, apparently with the goal of providing greater support and experimentation for Christian video games. In its first year, the conference consisted of 30 attendees, with subsequent years seeing attendances of 90 participants, "over 100" participants, and then 100 participants in the years 2003, 2004, and 2005, respectively.[3] In 2011, the conference hosted around 85 individuals and in 2012, the number of attendees once again exceeded 100 people. In 2011, the event was held at George Fox University, and in 2013 it was hosted at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon.[4][5]
Those attending the event consist of members from game studios who are explicitly Christian as well as individual developers from more mainstream, secular studios who themselves personally identify as Christian. Many attendees are motivated by the desire to change the wider perception of Christians and especially the negative stigma associated with Christian video games being poorly made.[1][4] Developers evidently use the event as an opportunity to network with other Christians and to find a community of individuals who share their beliefs and experiences.[4]
Debate over mission
[edit]According to sources interviewed from within CGDC, there is a recurring debate at the conference regarding how evangelistic Christian games should be, if at all.[1] Attendees seem to be in disagreement over whether their games should be overt in their Christian subject matter or more allegorical with a message they may present.[6]
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Stafford, Patrick (2012-12-20). "Higher calling: The new gospel of Christian games". Polygon. Archived from the original on 2012-12-31. Retrieved 2022-06-14.
- ^ Saad, Samantha (2023-08-17). "Christian Colleges Level Up Video Game Degrees". ChristianityToday.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-20. Retrieved 2023-08-25.
- ^ Gonzalez, Vincent (2014). "Born-Again Digital: Exploring Evangelical Video Game Worlds" (PDF). University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: 128. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-06-14.
- ^ a b c Good, Owen (2011-07-14). "Christian Game Developers Want to Leave Bad Games Behind". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 2016-08-24. Retrieved 2021-10-28.
- ^ O'Neil, Tyler (2013-07-10). "'Redwall' a Video Game at Last: Soma Games CEO Announces Big Plans". The Christian Post. Archived from the original on 2022-06-10. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
- ^ Donovan, Tristan (May 3, 2011). "Gaming for God". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on June 15, 2022. Retrieved July 27, 2022.