Understanding the Digital Discourse on Religion and Videogames
Exploring stakeholder perceptions and community discussions surrounding the integration of religious themes, artifacts, and narratives within videogames using topic modeling and qualitative analysis.
Team
- 2 Researchers (incl. me)
- 2 Faculty Mentors
My Role
- Project Lead
- UX Researcher (Mixed Methods)
- Data Collection & Analysis
- Programming (Python/PRAW)
Tools
- Python (PRAW, BERTopic)
- Qualitative Coding
- Figma (For visualization/diagrams)
Paper Presentation at CHI PLAY 2024
The Problem
There is a growing presence of religious themes in videogames, but little is understood about how players perceive, discuss, and interact with these themes. This lack of insight creates a gap in understanding how religion influences gaming experiences and how games can meaningfully incorporate religious narratives without causing offense or misrepresentation, ultimately impacting player engagement and cultural resonance.
The Approach
This UX research study explored the intersection of religion and videogames by analyzing online discussions within Reddit gaming and religious communities. Using a mixed-methods approach combining Python scripting for data scraping (PRAW), advanced topic modeling (BERTopic), and qualitative analysis, I uncovered key themes and narratives emerging from player discourse. This provides actionable insights into perceptions, paving the way for designing more culturally resonant gaming experiences.
Methodology
To uncover the nuances at the intersection of religion and videogames, a structured three-step methodology was adopted, focusing on rigor and minimizing bias.
1. Data Retrieval and Cleaning
Data was retrieved using Python’s PRAW library to scrape posts and comments from relevant religious (e.g., r/Christianity, r/Islam) and gaming subreddits (e.g., r/pokemon, r/Smite). Keywords like "Christian," "Hindu," "Islam," etc., targeted contextually relevant discussions. The dataset was meticulously refined by removing noise (e.g., bot comments, irrelevant single-word replies) and focusing on discussions around specific games mentioned in relation to religion, ensuring data integrity and reducing potential algorithmic bias.
2. Topic Modeling with BERTopic
BERTopic, a state-of-the-art topic modeling tool leveraging sentence embeddings (Sentence-BERT), was employed to generate context-aware topic clusters from the cleaned text data. This approach allowed for the automatic identification of meaningful themes and the exclusion of outlier comments, significantly enhancing accuracy compared to traditional methods.
3. Qualitative Analysis & Researcher Validation
To ensure human oversight and contextual understanding, a human-in-the-loop methodology was applied. Researchers collaboratively reviewed, interpreted, and labeled the topics generated by BERTopic. Unrelated or nonsensical clusters were systematically excluded, and overarching themes were identified through iterative qualitative coding and discussion. This robust process balanced computational efficiency with deep human interpretation.
Key Insights
The analysis surfaced 22 distinct sub-themes within online discussions, which were categorized into three primary themes revealing the complex relationship between religious players and videogames:
- Videogames perceived as Blasphemous or Sinful.
- Religion serving as a rich Design Space for game elements.
- Videogames acting as platforms for Religious Education and Community Building.
Insight 1: Blasphemous Elements & Misrepresentation
A significant portion of discussions centered on players feeling that certain game elements misrepresented or disrespected their religious beliefs. Concerns included inaccurate portrayals of deities, the trivialization of sacred figures, and gameplay mechanics conflicting with religious values.
“Kali has been deprived of all her original reference material. Instead, the character we see in Smite is a totally tranquil...blue woman with four arms.”
“Seeing my God murdered by other gods...is upsetting. I find it unsettling to consider Ganesha engaging in warfare.”
The act of controlling gods or engaging in virtual activities deemed sinful (like interacting with spirits, idols, or excessive violence) were major points of contention, highlighting the need for developer sensitivity.
“It’s a major factor in why Jesus hasn’t been incorporated into Smite...Numerous Christian figures could be incorporated...but it’s highly controversial.”
Insight 2: Religion as a Design Space
Conversely, many players view religion as a vast source of inspiration for game design, including characters, narratives, settings, and aesthetics. Online communities actively brainstormed ideas for incorporating religious stories, figures, and locations into games.
.png)
“The Mahabharata provides numerous characters and stories for developing games; what are some stories you think would be good levels in the game?”
“Introducing a Christian character for Smite: The Archangel Gabriel...Gabriel radiates a glow that speeds up his and his nearby allies’ HP and MP regeneration.”
“The Worship District Expansion introduces seven new worship beliefs/buildings...such as the Hindu Mandir.”
This highlights player enthusiasm for culturally rich content and the potential for games to explore diverse mythologies and histories respectfully.
Insight 3: Videogames for Religious Education & Community
Communities actively leverage videogames as tools for religious education and fostering connection. Players suggest and even develop games aimed at teaching religious concepts or history.
.png)
“What questions should I include in an Android quiz game on Hinduism I am building?”
“God inspires me to create Christian videogames...Please lead me to God’s Word and in the appropriate direction!”
Furthermore, religious communities utilize games to create inclusive online spaces, organize events around festivals (like Ramadan or Diwali), and maintain curated lists of "halal" or religiously appropriate games. Dedicated Discord servers for religious gamers further extend these communities.
“Top 10 halal and valuable videogames.”
“Join our Muslim Gamers Discord community...for an inclusive environment for all gamers, Muslim or otherwise.”
This demonstrates the potential for games to transcend entertainment, serving as valuable platforms for cultural celebration, learning, and social connection.
Conclusion & Implications
This research illuminated the intricate, often paradoxical, relationship between religion and videogames. While religious themes offer rich creative potential and foster community engagement, their implementation requires significant cultural sensitivity and nuanced understanding to avoid misrepresentation and alienation.
The findings underscore that videogames act as powerful cultural artifacts reflecting and shaping perceptions of religion. For UX professionals and game designers, this research highlights critical considerations:
- Prioritize Cultural Sensitivity: Deeply research and respectfully represent religious elements. Avoid trivialization or stereotypes.
- Engage with Communities: Foster dialogue with players and relevant religious communities during development (co-creation).
- Acknowledge Player Perceptions: Understand that players bring diverse perspectives; what is acceptable to one group may be offensive to another.
- Leverage Educational Potential: Explore opportunities for games to facilitate learning and positive community interaction around cultural and religious themes.
Ultimately, creating truly resonant and inclusive gaming experiences involving religion necessitates a thoughtful balance between creative expression, player expectation, and profound respect for diverse beliefs and practices.