Persuasive Gets 'Serious' With Airport Insecurity

Persuasive Games, which describes itself as making "video games for social change, education, and persuasion", has announced the release of a mobile phone game Airport Insecurity, which is compatible with select Nokia devices and available for purchase at the company's website. The title is specifically aimed at commenting on social issues - according to the firm: "Airport Insecurity is a game about inconvenience and the tradeoffs between security and rights in American airports. While the Government wants you to believe that increased protection and reduced rights are necessary to protect you from terrorism, the effectiveness of airport security practices is uncertain." It includes simulations of 138 airports and Arcade, Practice, and 'Endless Queue' modes. Persuasive Games, which has previously developed games for Cold Stone Creamery, The Illinois State GOP, Chrysler/Dodge, Best Buy, Dean for America, The Democratic National Convention Committee, Telecom Partners, Cisco Systems, and others, explain that the game's rules are based on government reports about airport security practices since 2002, and also cheekily suggests: "To consider the game’s implications fully, players are encouraged to play the game while waiting in line at airport security." Ian Bogost, Partner, and Game Designer at Persuasive Games, commented of the game: “Airport Insecurity simulates standing in line, and calls attention to our oblivious acceptance of security practices. The point of the game is to draw attention to the relationship between our perception of security, the reality of its effectiveness, and what rights we're willing to give up on faith... We hope the game will challenge citizens to ask harder questions about the relationship between policy and civil rights.”