The Virtue Reality App Lets You Experience Life as an Aid Worker
Grace Mahas — October 29, 2019 — Social Good
References: islamic-relief.org.uk & globalcitizen.org
The Islamic Relief, an international humanitarian aid charity, recently released the Virtue Reality app that lets users experience what it's like to be a life-saving aid worker. Players go to places where real natural disasters or conflict has hit and can help builds dams to prevent flooding in Mali, work to build shelters in Pakistan, and give out resources. All of the situations presented by the game are based on real scenarios and projects that have taken place in over 40 countries including Yemen and Syria.
The video game also aims to portray how generous and humane the Muslim faith is, hoping to combat the negative portrayal of Muslims in the media and lead the way for other video games to follow suit. “Having worked in the video games industry for 37 years, I can’t help but notice that, as with the media and pop culture, Muslims are generally presented in a negative light in videogames,” said Shahid Kamal Ahmad, managing director at Ultimatum Games. “Often, when you see characters from the Islamic faith in video games they are othered as terrorists or villains you have to kill. It is as though there is no other way for a Muslim to be: you never see any peaceful, ordinary Muslims just going about their lives," he adds.
The video game also aims to portray how generous and humane the Muslim faith is, hoping to combat the negative portrayal of Muslims in the media and lead the way for other video games to follow suit. “Having worked in the video games industry for 37 years, I can’t help but notice that, as with the media and pop culture, Muslims are generally presented in a negative light in videogames,” said Shahid Kamal Ahmad, managing director at Ultimatum Games. “Often, when you see characters from the Islamic faith in video games they are othered as terrorists or villains you have to kill. It is as though there is no other way for a Muslim to be: you never see any peaceful, ordinary Muslims just going about their lives," he adds.
Trend Themes
1. Virtual Reality Aid Worker Experiences - The Virtue Reality app by Islamic Relief allows users to experience the life of an aid worker, opening up opportunities for immersive training and simulations in the humanitarian sector.
2. Realistic Simulations of Natural Disasters - The simulation game captures real scenarios of natural disasters and conflicts, presenting an opportunity for industries like emergency management and disaster preparedness to leverage such technology for training purposes.
3. Positive Representation of Muslims in Video Games - The Virtue Reality app aims to combat negative stereotypes by portraying the humane and generous aspects of the Muslim faith, signaling a potential for the gaming industry to create more diverse and inclusive narratives.
Industry Implications
1. Humanitarian Aid Organizations - The use of simulation apps like Virtue Reality can enhance training programs for aid workers, allowing them to gain hands-on experience in a safe and controlled environment.
2. Emergency Management - The realistic simulations of natural disasters in Virtue Reality can provide valuable training for emergency management professionals, helping them better prepare for real-life crisis situations.
3. Video Game Development - With the need for positive representation of diverse characters and cultures, the gaming industry has the opportunity to incorporate more inclusive narratives that challenge stereotypes and promote understanding.
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