Ever since the advent Internet-based gaming it has been possible to create a game in which business is not only not the chief concern, but isn't a concern at all. Most non-commercial games are labors of love by designers who make games because they enjoy it, others are trying to beef up their resumes for their dream jobs in the mainstream wing of the industry. A few aim for that ever-elusive achievement of the game as art. Central to art is the concept of social commentary. One of the strongest voices in socially conscious gaming today is Molleindustria, an Italian studio of online interactive agitators.

Molleindustria has been subject to headlines and even governmental interference because of their controversial games. Their 2007 game Operazione: Pretofilia, which depicted Catholic priests molesting children, was a response to the rape of Colm O'Gorman by a priest who was allegedly protected for his crimes by the Vatican. After the Italian parliament called for its removal, Molleindustria decided to take Operazione: Pretofilia down from their site to avoid penalties levied upon their hosting service. The studio courted controversy again the next year when they drew negative attention for their religious commentary game Faith Fight. Just recently Molleindustria released Every Day The Same Dream, an adventure puzzle game about corporate monotony and the effects it has on the individual spirit.

It's strange to play this game in the United States where we are in the middle of a deep economic crisis, some states struggling with unemployment rates as high as 10%. The gist of Same Dream is that the unnamed man players control is trapped in a sad, meaningless existence perpetuated by his job as a white collar cubicle worker. While the Italian economy hasn't avoided the international economic collapse, its people aren't in nearly the same position as the citizens of other nations, most namely the US. Where a non-American player might see a pointless, depressing existence represented in Same Dream, an American player might see commentary that is no longer relevant, or maybe even naive.

Whether we agree with their message or not, video games do actually provide a platform for issues awareness that no other form of media can match. By simply being dependent on user input, games beg a level of engagement that movies and literature can never really match. Inherent to the interactivity of games is the creation of almost instant sympathy for a protagonist. Even though the people most likely to play Same Dream in the United States are unemployed, the game still provokes thoughts about the corporate system and the conformity of a life dedicated to it.

So far the most effective use of this instant sympathy is another Molleindustria game, Oiligarchy. It places players in control of a multinational petroleum company that does everything from funding wars to bribing Congresspeople to destroying wildlife all in the name of perpetuating the oil industry. It's disturbing how quickly one's mind starts producing thoughts like "Damn tree-hugging liberals" and "Stupid Iraqi insurgents" in the quest for an unclear and maybe impossible victory.

As independent game production becomes easier, socially conscious games will continue to become more common. Molleindustria currently leads the charge, but it certainly won't be long before others follow.