Christian video gamers temper violence with virtue

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PORTLAND, Ore. -- In the world of Christian video games, players sport the armor of God, the best weapon is a ball of holy energy known as a "smite," and demon-possessed Roman soldiers drop to their knees in prayer when they are hit.

Right now, the religious-themed games represent just the tiniest fraction of an $11 billion industry, but developers expect the market to grow with the popularity of faith-based movies and books such as actor/director Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ" and the "Left Behind" series of novels.

Just how to make the jump to the mainstream, finding producers for Christian games and getting them on store shelves will be the focus of a small conference this month in Portland that about 100 people are expected to attend.

Event organizer Tim Emmerich said Christian game developers -- mostly evangelical Protestants -- want to provide a clean, safe alternative to shoot-'em-up games such as "Grand Theft Auto," spreading the Gospel without boring or alienating players.

The audience can range from Christian gamers eager for new thrills to teens and 20-somethings who have never picked up a Bible, said Mr. Emmerich, a software engineer who attends Circle Church of Christ in Corvallis, Ore.

Canadian game developer Mackenzie Ponech says the idea is creating an entertaining video that doesn't condescend to its non-Christian players.

"It's not about taking a Bible, rolling it up and shoving it down the person's throat who's playing the game," said Mr. Ponech, who co-founded Two Guys Software in Edmonton, Alberta.

In the company's most popular game, "Eternal War: Shadows of Light," players assume the role of Mike, an angel charged with saving a suicidal teen. They battle demons -- and the teen's own doubts -- with spiritual weapons that include "soul disks," "Trinity blasts" and the "smite," a ball of liquid holy energy that vaporizes bad guys.

"Eternal War" also references the "armor of God" mentioned in St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians. "It's almost like your meat and potatoes for a Christian game," Mr. Ponech said.

Unlike some of their secular counterparts, Christian video games avoid "all that blood and guts and gore," said Ralph Bagley, chief executive officer of N'Lightning Games in Medford, Ore.

Enemies vanish, vaporize, or, in the case of the Roman soldiers in N'Lightning's "Catechumen," start praying as Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus" rings out. Most games incorporate Bible verses, and story lines often focus on spiritual struggles.

Religion expert Larry Eskridge says the emerging Christian video-game industry marks the latest effort by religious believers to put their own imprint on popular culture.

Evangelical Protestants have led the ways since World War II, seeking sanctified versions of everything from board games to television, said Mr. Eskridge, associate director of the Institute for the Study of American Evangelicals at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill.

But some in the industry question whether consumers will be as eager to embrace Christian games as they are to play secular versions.

Most retailers are reluctant to pick up Christian video games, because the products don't have a proven popularity, said Dave Tanner, senior buyer for Christian Supply Centers. The retail chain has 16 stores in Oregon, Washington state and Idaho.

"As a buyer, I want to see past sales. I want to see a forecast," Mr. Tanner said. That's difficult with the relatively new Christian video games, which make up such a small portion of the market that CBA International, formerly the Christian Booksellers Association, doesn't track sales.

Companies also struggle to find investors for game development, said Mr. Bagley, the N'Lightning chief executive officer. His game "Catechumen" took 15 months and $830,000 to create -- often demanding 16-hour days from his 11-person team.