Maram, S. (CM) – Scripture To Console: The Nexus between Religion and Digital Play

Religion has historically been a profound force for global mobilization, shaping geopolitics, economies, and geography. Similarly, contemporary interactive media, with video games at the forefront, has moved beyond mere entertainment to become a powerful vehicle for communication, narrative, and inspiration, reaching millions worldwide. This dissertation investigates the intersection of these two influential forces: religion and video games, demonstrating the influence of religion on video games, the influence of video games on religion, and finally, how these two powerful mobilization forces can come together to solve global challenges.

First, I examine the current landscape of religious representation in commercial video games (e.g., Assassin’s Creed, SMITE). I analyze how key stakeholders i.e. players, game designers, and development studios, interpret and engage with embedded religious elements, drawing on existing critical reception and player discourse. This analysis identifies common narrative pitfalls and successful strategies for incorporating complex religious themes in digital spaces, culminating in proposed design frameworks for sensitive and effective representation.

Building on this foundational work, the thesis culminates in defining and validating a new interaction paradigm where learning meets religion through play. This paradigm focuses on intentionally leveraging religious content i.e. specifically its rituals and narratives as mechanics in serious games to drive motivation and learning toward collective action. I validate this paradigm through a comprehensive case study focused on climate change, arguably the most pressing issue of the modern era. This involves the design and empirical discussion of a serious game that incorporates specific religious mechanics, ethics, and narratives (e.g., stewardship, ritual) to effectively communicate the severity of the climate crisis and motivate stakeholders toward a collective solution.

Event Host: Sai Siddartha Maram, Ph.D. Candidate, Computational Media

Advisor: Magy Seif El-Nasr

Zoom: https://ucsc.zoom.us/j/91946426300?pwd=wxe1x3YCRsXrtcvOSy2kmfC9dZ3inW.1

Passcode: 558570