Becoming part of the story: using games in journalism
The Waiting Game follows the stories of five refugees as they seek asylum in the United States.
We often read about difficult stories in the news, but it can be hard to truly understand the emotions that the victims of these stories are facing. Multimedia journalism has become a great way to experience more of these stories through the use of articles, photos, videos, graphs or even audio pieces. The Waiting Game goes a step beyond that by allowing a user to really step into the shoes of an immigrant.
ProPublica and WNYC created The Waiting Game in 2018, this experimental news game is based on the real case files of five asylum seekers from five different countries. The user follows the asylum seeker from the moment they choose to come to the United States through the final decision in their cases before an immigration judge.
The information for the game was gathered from physicians, psychiatrists, case officers, country experts, lawyers and judges who were either directly involved with one of these five cases, or regularly saw cases like these.
Throughout the game aspects, users can experience the refugees’ day-to-day lives, the steps they have to take towards immigration, and the delicacy of all the asylum seeker’s positions. It is a fully immersive newsgame featuring a full soundtrack, breathtaking sound effects and thought-provoking illustrations, all to elevate the story and enhance the viewing experience.
ProPublica and WNYC state that the game consists of three parts: a newsgame that lets you live the life of an asylum seeker, a narration to explain how the asylum process works (or doesn’t work), and a radio piece that shows how unwelcoming America can be, for the seeker, even after being granted asylum. These pieces were created alongside one another and are interlinked throughout the game.
By utilizing games to tell complicated and weighted stories, it allows users to create a unique, personal and emotional connection. The immersion aspects bring you closer to the characters through seeing the photos, videos, audio and documents of their difficult processes.
If you are interested in checking out The Waiting Game, you may view it HERE.
