Figure 1: UXR pipeline adopted to understand how gamers and religious stakeholders perceive religion in videogames.
November 2023 - January 2024
ACM CHI PLAY 2024
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 to engage diverse audiences.
In this UX study, I explored the intersection of religion and videogames by analyzing online discussions within gaming communities. Using a mixed methods approach, I applied topic modeling techniques to uncover key themes and narratives that emerge when players engage with religious elements in games. This study provides actionable insights into how religious themes are perceived and discussed, paving the way for designing culturally resonant and meaningful gaming experiences that connect with diverse audiences.
Figure 1: UXR pipeline adopted to understand how gamers and religious stakeholders perceive religion in videogames.
To uncover the intersection of religion and videogames, a structured three-step methodology was adopted. First, data was retrieved and cleaned using Python’s PRAW library to scrape posts and comments from both religious (e.g., r/Christianity, r/Islam) and gaming subreddits (e.g., r/pokemon, r/Smite). Targeted keywords, such as "Christian," "Hindu," or "Islam," ensured contextually relevant discussions. The dataset was refined by removing noise, such as posts linked to pseudonymous usernames or irrelevant single-word comments, and focusing on the top five games per religion to maintain meaningful depth. This meticulous data cleaning ensured the integrity of the dataset and reduced algorithmic bias—key considerations for researchers aiming for actionable insights.
Different Topics Identified from the Religious Subreddits Discussing Videogames. Showing output of BERTopic for Islamic subreddit and how researchers assign topics to the cluster. Outlined boxes indicate topics from posts, while colored boxes indicate topics identified from comments.
BERTopic, a cutting-edge topic modeling tool, was used to generate context-aware topic clusters from the cleaned dataset, utilizing sentence embeddings to identify meaningful themes. The approach allowed for the automatic exclusion of outliers and the selection of optimal topics, significantly reducing the manual burden while enhancing result accuracy. To ensure human oversight, researchers employed a human-in-the-loop methodology, reviewing and labeling topics based on contextual understanding. Unrelated clusters were systematically excluded, and overarching themes were identified through iterative collaboration among researchers. This robust methodology balanced computational efficiency with human interpretation, providing actionable insights for designing culturally resonant gaming experiences.
The analysis uncovered 22 sub-themes related to how religion and videogames intersect in community discussions, categorized into three main themes: the perception of videogames as blasphemous or sinful, the use of religion as a design space, and the potential for videogames to promote religious education and community building.
(Row 1) The depiction of Hindu Gods Shiva, Ganesha and the Babylonian primordial goddess Tiamat in the videogame Smite; (Row 2) Videogame themes understood as sinful, immoral or blasphemous from certain religious practitioners, such as alcohol consumption, gambling or nudity in GTA V
Players frequently perceive certain elements in videogames as misrepresenting or disrespecting their religious beliefs. For example, discussions around Hindu gods in Smite highlighted disappointment with inaccurate portrayals, such as the "tranquil" depiction of Kali, stripped of her traditional fierceness. As one user expressed, “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.”
Various ways videogames can be perceived Blasphemous
Another concern was the act of controlling gods in games, which many considered blasphemous. A user lamented, “Seeing my God murdered by other gods...is upsetting. I find it unsettling to consider Ganesha engaging in warfare.” Similarly, in Islamic and Christian communities, activities like engaging with spirits or idols and violent gameplay sparked debates about their alignment with religious values. A user noted, “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.”
These insights underline the need for designers to approach religious elements with sensitivity and authenticity, balancing narrative goals with cultural respect.
Religion inspires many design elements in videogames, including characters, narratives, settings, and aesthetics. Reddit communities actively contribute ideas, with users brainstorming ways to incorporate religious stories into games. For instance, one user suggested, “The Mahabharata provides numerous characters and stories for developing games; what are some stories you think would be good levels in the game?”
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Various aspects of religion that can be used as a design space in videogames
Discussions often revolved around creating new religiously inspired characters, weapons, and skins. A user proposed, “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.” Similarly, others suggested incorporating Islamic Golden Age narratives or Hindu temples into game worlds. One user shared, “The Worship District Expansion introduces seven new worship beliefs/buildings...such as the Hindu Mandir.”
The enthusiasm for religiously inspired content emphasizes the potential for games to serve as cultural bridges, offering unique storytelling opportunities and fostering player engagement.
Communities are leveraging videogames as tools for religious education and connection. Players frequently suggest or develop games to teach religious concepts. For example, one developer asked, “What questions should I include in an Android quiz game on Hinduism I am building?” Another shared aspirations of using games for evangelism, stating, “God inspires me to create Christian videogames...Please lead me to God’s Word and in the appropriate direction!”
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Understanding how games with religious elements contribute to social settings
Additionally, religious communities use videogames to create inclusive spaces and celebrate festivals like Ramadan and Diwali. Discussions often highlight efforts to curate lists of "halal" or religiously appropriate games, as one user shared, “Top 10 halal and valuable videogames.” These spaces are further extended through initiatives like religious gaming Discord servers. For example, a post read, “Join our Muslim Gamers Discord community...for an inclusive environment for all gamers, Muslim or otherwise.”
These insights show how games can go beyond entertainment, serving as platforms for cultural celebration, education, and community building.
Our research highlights the intricate relationship between religion and videogames, emphasizing their dual role as creative spaces and cultural artifacts. By analyzing discussions from Reddit, we identified how videogames incorporate religious elements, from design mechanics to narratives, while simultaneously sparking critical discourse around these representations. The findings reveal that while religious elements in games provide opportunities for meaningful engagement, they must be approached with cultural sensitivity to avoid alienating players.
Additionally, videogames emerge as a powerful medium for religious education and community building, offering a platform for learning, collaboration, and shared experiences among players of similar faiths. This study underscores the importance of understanding player perceptions and fostering dialogue between designers, players, and religious communities to create culturally inclusive and engaging gaming experiences. For UX professionals, this research reinforces the need to prioritize inclusivity, co-creation, and community insights in designing impactful, resonant experiences.: