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Anand Modha

Issue 346

Violence

As we gear up for summers trapped indoors, gaming is becoming more and more a part of all our lives. I loved seeing people who’d abandoned gaming return to it in lockdown, and many were thrilled at how things had changed. However, as I watched the trailer for The Last of Us Part II, my heart sank. Not because of the massive spoilers that leaked to the internet, and not because of the behaviour in response (although it was unedifying to say the least). It wasn’t even over the game itself, which has earned its grimdark future through groundwork laid in the original game.

No, it was for the developers. We hear about the trauma experienced by people working on the Mortal Kombat series, and as I watched a character knife another opposing force member, I thought, ‘What a waste.’ As I watched Ellie’s green jacket darken with water, as the rain lashed down so accurately that if I was glancing I would mistake it for real, along with the amazing animation which was kinetic and exciting, all I could think was ‘What a waste of talent.’ Imagine being so good at your job that triple-A comes a-calling, and says, “Hey, take this fat stack of cash, and can you now program how you would slit someone’s throat with a Coke can.” I am not judging people for taking those jobs, or for people necessarily wanting those games (although I am a little).