19/11/2020
Friends!! I wrote a thing! Some of you already know, but at the start of the pandemic I began working on an article for The CinemaNaut exploring the ways in which various video games can be used to help us cope with stress and anxiety.
The CinemaNaut (Cinema+Astronaut) is my film & art deep-dive analysis blog. I'm really proud of the final product, and I know I haven't shared much of my photo work for the past couple years, which is why I am SO overjoyed to be sharing this *soft launch* of my blog with you all! For well over a year I've been laying the groundwork for starting up The CinemaNaut, (as well as a future YouTube channel for video essays), and this pandemic article really lit a fire under me to hasten the planned launch window.
If you're at all interested in video games, or if the pandemic has been at least a *bit* stressful for you, I'd love if you gave this a read! I really poured my heart and soul into this, and I think it's pretty badass. This sort of thing is like the *main* thing my brain is really good for. While writing this I felt my neurons lighting up in a way they really haven't for many years.
I actually photographed the page's cover art myself!
If you like the work and think you might be interested in seeing more of it, I'd love if you followed The CinemaNaut on Facebook! Thank you, friends 😊
Over the coming months I may post little easily-digestible snippets of the article focusing on individual games. For now, here is the article's introduction:
"It’s no secret that we are living through difficult, unprecedented times. At the time of writing, the novel coronavirus has swept across the globe, killing over a million people, overwhelming entire countries’ healthcare systems, wreaking economic havoc, and forcing much of the world population into self-isolation and social distancing for indefinite periods of time; months, if not more, given the reality multiple waves of infection over at least the next year till we might possibly have a safe and effective vaccine ready for the public. This has provided a source of significant economic and existential anxiety, while simultaneously removing the often-essential human coping mechanisms of social contact, touch and affection. Closeness. The near entirety of our species is scrambling on the fly to adjust, finding ways to ease our minds and bridge the gaps between one another. This has led many to the same realization; that this is the time of video games. We need to let ourselves have this. It’s what games are made for. In our capitalist, hustle-culture society, we are told that our primary value (and therefore the route to happiness) is to be productive always, never content in stillness or play. Many of us feel utterly powerless, forced to continue working through the current hazard for often-meager pay, while still countless others are rendered jobless, stuck at home, feeling adrift. I’m here to suggest to you that we reclaim our personal down time and allow video games to help carry us through this period of uncertainty and unease.
As Xbox head Phil Spencer said in a recent IGN interview, gaming sales tends to stay stable throughout recession and societal crisis, even in dire economic situations such as the 2008 financial crisis. There is a good reason for this, as you will see. The amazing thing is that, with our modern infrastructure, all of this gaming can be done ethically while fully respecting physical distancing guidelines, as every single one of these titles can be purchased online (PlayStation Store, etc) and downloaded to your device without ever having to leave your home.
You may notice as you read that most of these games tend to fall into the categories of either power fantasies, light and relaxing escapes, stimulating adventures, or emotionally hefty deep dives into relevant themes, while a special few manage to thoroughly embody the best of many worlds, and do so to beautiful end.
Without further ado, here is my *personal* list of recommended games to help you cope with pandemic life – come with me as we dive headfirst into the many varied ways in which they seek to accomplish this..."
Article:
We're living through difficult, unprecedented times. Video games can help us cope. Here is a list of games and the ways in which they help.
