First video game about Jesus launches on Facebook

Denver, Colo., May 16, 2012 / 01:28 am

On the heels of its widely-popular “The Journey of Moses” Facebook game, Lightside Games is venturing into historic territory by creating the first-ever video game based on the life of Jesus.

“There's stories that need to be told in games,” Brent Dusing told CNA May 9, “and there's not a lot of games where you can do really good, positive things from a Christian stand point,” 

Dusing, the founder and CEO of the Mountain View, Calif.-based Lightside Games, said that the new game, “The Journey of Jesus: The Calling,” will give people an opportunity to experience the life of Jesus firsthand.

The company’s first game on the life of Moses has had great success, registering over 2 million players.

“The feedback has really been phenomenal. I just think there's a lot of people who are really hungry for this, that's what our players tell us,” Dusing said.

And he hopes that the new game on the life of Jesus will bring the Gospel to those who might not otherwise be exposed to it.

“For a lot of our players, this is the only chance they'll have to hear this message,” Dusing said. “We know for some of them, it'll be the only chance they have to see this story.”

The game follows the life of Christ during his public ministry from the point of view of a character whose name is pulled from the user's Facebook profile. Players collect items and trade them with their Facebook friends to progress through Christ's mission.

While his original game allowed the user to play as Moses, the “Journey of Jesus” allows the player to “connect with the real human emotional elements” by playing and interacting with Jesus as themselves.

Although the game is meant to be entertaining, Dusing said he drew the storyline from the Bible to make sure the message is accurate.

By completing a series of tasks and challenges while interacting with the Apostles, other players and Christ, the user is able to witness Christ's public ministry and participate in his mission.

While the game can be played for free, there is an option to purchase materials to complete the game more quickly. Funds from some specially designated items will be donated to Compassion International, a Christian non-profit group dedicated to providing aid for underprivileged children worldwide.

The game is expected to become as popular as the Moses original, which is currently played by users on every continent except Antarctica, and is available in English, Spanish, French, German and Portuguese.