Persuasive Games Releases Airport Security 'Newsgame'

Persuasive Games, which describes itself as making "video games for social change, education, and persuasion", has announced the release of a new serious “newsgame” called Airport Security, which is now playable online. Airport Security represents to first game to be released online as part of a recent deal signed between Persuasive Games and Shockwave.com and Addicting Games to create series of newsgames called The Arcade Wire. The goal of these games is to capture current issues in a timely manner while attempting to delve in possible deeper interpretations. Described as “a critique of the absurdist changing practices in airport security,” the game parodies real rife airport security checkpoints by having players “remove prohibited items from passengers and their luggage before sending them through the gate.” While some of the prohibited items reflect those which are currently not allowed onto airplanes due to increased security measures, others, such as a new restriction disallowing shirts to be worn onto the plane, poke a bit of obvious fun at current events. Says the game's description: “They say the front line of the War on Terror is the airport security line. See if you’ve got what it takes to keep airline travel safe in this hysterical game of airport security. Better not let that tube of toothpaste get through your checkpoint — it could be a terrorist’s weapon against freedom (or maybe it just fights gingivitis)!“