Is it important for games to make us cry?

That seems to be the real hot topic among game journalists and enthusiasts grasping to legitimize their favorite national pastime. After all, the non-gaming population sees it as either too violent or just for kids. But it doesn’t do much for the ego of the thirty-something male who is increasingly becoming its largest market. So just as a movie is only Oscar-worthy if it requires Kleenex as an accessory, why can’t video games use that same way of thinking?

If we wait for a game to pull at our heartstrings to justify its significance to society, then we’ll be waiting a long time.

It has been stated by such industry notables such as Cliff Bleszinski we should be making games that invoke emotion from the player. Since then, “can games make us cry?” has been blindly asked more times than I can remember. And I do agree that games, in order to deliver a more substantial experience, should connect emotionally with players. However, the media has been hung up on the “cry” for help that it doesn’t fully understand what it is the industry needs.

People play games out of enjoyment. Some play Bejeweled, some play Madden, others play Grand Theft Auto. But there is no denying the advancement in technology has allowed players to interact with a highly advanced virtual world, as defined by the developer. Advancement in technology has also allowed the time spent by the player in these worlds to increase, as well as the price they pay for the experience. So in order for the players to continue to invest in the medium, value has to be perceived on that initial and specific investment. This can be measured solely on enjoyment of that experience.

In an effort to keep consumers buying video games and insuring the industry’s growth, the media believes developers need to make games that the mature market – you know, the ones with the deep pockets – isn’t ashamed playing. Make ‘em cry, right? Wrong. Make ‘em smile. Make ‘em cheer. Hell, make ‘em curse (only for the right reasons). Crying is just one emotional response, but it doesn’t mean it is the best.

Recall the reaction when the credits rolled after the build-up in Halo 2. Or the big revelation in KOTOR? What about the skin-crawling moments in Silent Hill, Resident Evil or Fatal Frame? Personally, nothing made me cheer louder in video game history than in Red Dead Revolver when Red shot a pleading, crawling General Diego without even a second thought. Or at least it invoked that emotion inside, which is really the point, right? These are all memorable moments in gaming history, and none of them cost me a single tear.

Here’s the real message the media should be trumpeting to developers: make a great story, then make some great characters to carry that story. Emotions will be inherent with a player’s connection to both, as long as the gameplay doesn’t interfere. It doesn’t matter if it makes the player laugh, or cry, or scream, or whatever, just as long as it makes us feel something positive.