A while back, I was introduced to war quilts, big quilts made of the images that surround the people in countries at war. Pictures of helicopters, machineguns, grenades, and soldiers, woven into the fabric. Weaving was the art of the region, and they expressed the reality of their lives through that art. Not everyone weaves, however. Some people make video games. Art is often an act of rebellion, but when it’s possible the local strongman will hunt down and execute your family over a video game, the price of art is steep. Check out this article about game developers in war-torn regions of the world. Gamasutra has the story.
Even if a game developer escapes from the war-torn country, distance isn’t any real safety. Family and friends are always left behind, and those who do flee often long to return. Everything these gamers do must be considered in light of a gun to the head of those who didn’t get out.