Hello everyone. It's been a long time since my last post.
I've been given a design challenge where I need to create a resonant game about wealth inequality. Recently, I've been doing some research into why wealth inequality is a thing, who benefits from it etc. etc. I won't bore you guys with all the details of the research, but I came to an interesting conclusion as I was scouring through the facts. Wealth inequality isn't actually a flaw within our economic system (capitalism), but it is actually facilitated and required.
Now this is a crazy revelation, but I came across several studies that have been published within the last 5 years. They discuss the economic trends, and the wages of workers compared to the general productivity of the workers. They found that people's labors aren't actually proportional to the amount of pay that they get.
Focusing on this specifically, I think there's a way that we can make a game out of this. I want to focus on how workers provide incredible value to their company, but also focus on how little rewards they reap for their hard work. I think taking a satirical approach to making this game will be key. I want to make a game witty enough to make someone laugh, but clear enough in its messaging so that players understand the problem of wealth inequality.
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This topic is definitely something a lot of people have experience with first hand. And I absolutely agree, satire is the way to go. Some jokes write themselves with how wealth inequality affects everyday people. You could also exaggerate a little bit and have some corporation be the main focus, but it's really difficult to actually talk to anyone from that corporation because everywhere you go they will tell you to talk to someone else about a problem. Looking forward to the pitch!
It's insanely interesting that during your research you actually found that wealth inequality is a facilitated and required aspect in our economic system. I'm looking forward to hearing about how you plan to manifest this revelation in a game while also addressing it as a nuisance none the less.
Hey! This is definitely a relatable topic, and one that people want to learn about. I think making it satire would make it much more digestible for people who still want to learn about the subject without playing a super serious game.
Satire feels like the right direction to go. As much as I will likely agree with the stance of the project, the overall fun and appeal of the game will definitely help it stay fresh in my mind, and to have a premise that doesn't point the blame at capitalism directly sounds like something that will catch the attention of others as well.