Why Are We Obsessed With Killer Games?

The evolution continues but the principle remains the same. Simple games which result in death, the fight for survival through arenas and now, children's games.

We seem obsessed as a species with the notion that playing games virtually is not enough. One day we will crack and desire more. To see our games come to life and for contestants to risk life and death in the struggle to survive. Whether the prize is life or whether or not there is a cash incentive, the core concept is the same. A group of strangers is placed together to fight to the death with one winner remaining at the end.

The worrying consideration is that we can all agree on the reality of the situation. We understand attention spans, how Black Mirror provides us with a believable reality and digs into the ugly side of technology addiction.

It is with this in mind that we need to ask the question, why are we obsessed with killer games and are they as far fetched as they seem?

Battle Royale

A cultural phenomenon if there ever was one, which provides the origins to this article. Twenty one years ago, Battle Royale was released to an unsuspecting audience, providing us with the concept of innocent children fighting for survival. Revolving around a future Japan in which a major recession has pushed the government to pass the "BR ACT" to curb the nation's juvenile delinquency.

• The delinquency ties into Japanese discipline and the question of what if the situation became too tough to handle?
• What if the economy, which is a strength of the nation fell, and children bore the brunt of the cost?

It is with this in mind that we see a class of school children chosen to participate in the annual Battle Royale. This event revolves around the children fighting to the death for three days, in order for a victor to emerge.

Explosive collars are used to control the games and after being supplied with weapons and rations they are off.

It is this casual brutality, the suicides and the adults controlling the actions of the children that digs into our subconscious and helps us to feel. Children are innocent and placing them in mortal danger is something that is rarely seen on any screen.

Back in the year 2000 it was groundbreaking and grabbed the attention of the people. It also spawned a generation of imposters.

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games were released as a series of three books in 2008. It is safe to say that Suzanne Collins did not write and release the books in the same year, but it is equally safe to say that the books were released after Battle Royale was seen at the cinema.

The books (and later, films) revolve around Katniss Everdeen, a teenager (aged 16) living in district twelve, the poorest of the fictional, Panem's thirteen districts. When her sister, Primrose has her name called at the reaping, Katniss steps in and takes her place.

The reaping forms a central part of the culture in the sense that every year, every child from every district under the age of 18 has their name added to the reaping lottery. If their name is pulled out then they are chosen to represent their area and these two tributes join the other eleven children from across Panem to create the yearly Hunger Games.

The games are essentially, Battle Royale, with the addition that each tribute has a mentor (former game-winner), can be provided with help in the arena via sponsored gifts and the fact that the show never ends. Whilst a victor is able to live, win lots of money and be provided with a house, they are also haunted and never able to escape through being forced to continue as a mentor each and every year.

Katniss is chosen for two games and the end of the second sparks a revolution, something that takes the Battle Royale concept beyond the arena, but the core is the same. Innocent children fighting each other until there is only one left.

Doctor Who

I am thinking of one episode in particular here. Bad Wolf is the title of the season one finale, featuring the Doctor's journey into the future with companions Rose and Captain Jack.

They are separated on arrival and placed into the games, which do not involve fighting to the death in the same manner as within Battle Royale and The Hunger Games, but in the sense that contestants are playing a much-loved game such as The Weakest Link.

Other shows include:

• Ground Force
• Big Brother
• and What Not to Wear.

They appear innocent enough but once the lead characters scratch the surface they find that players which are eliminated from The Weakest Link are killed. At the end of each round the losing player, the one which is voted off is removed in the strictest sense of the word, same with Big Brother, whilst What Not to Wear alters the pattern. Within the confines of Trinny and Susannah's wheelhouse, at the end of the show, the contestant is provided with a literal facelift.

All of the games present a dystopian image of the future and one in which games rule the world. Attention spans have reduced, from the entire population watching them all day every day, which has resulted in them being provided with deadly risk. Great reward but deadly risk and so the pattern continues.

In 2007, the episode was released, much to the entertainment of the audience, which was raving about the return of Doctor Who after such as long absence. It was entertaining because it was relatable. It linked the innocence of a game and tied it to the deadly pursuit of life over death, an ongoing struggle and one that should never cross the line and becoming entertaining.

Squid Game

The latest in a long line of innocence meets death. It follows 456 players from different walks of life, each drowning in debt, being forced to play a series of children's games. The final prize for the victor being ₩45.6 billion in cash.

An extension of the concept combines the innocence of the games with the relatable worry that is debt. Millions of us (myself included) are in debt. Whether that comes from university debt, our mortgage or credit card bills, we are drowning in it as a world, and it is this that reaches out and draws us in.

Whilst I have not watched the show from start to finish, I am intrigued. The concept is relatable and comparable to the past and this is what continually draws us in. The linking of innocence with death is the closest we can get to with regards to killing off children, something that is frowned upon on the big screen.

Rarely have I seen children killed off, as it is considered distasteful and by combining the innocent with the relatable we can extract that feeling and consider ourselves uneasy. it is this that will outlast everything else.

A Final Thought

Concepts are handed down between generations. This is how stories continue and families are built. The Battle Royale concept of bringing to light the fears of innocence, combined with the knowledge of adulthood. From this, we have:

• The Hunger Games
• Doctor Who
• Squid Game
• and the original Japanese tale.

Our obsession with killer games is linked to our childhood. The love of the simple combined with the fear of the unknown. We are programmed to fear death whilst we are also inbuilt with the enjoyment of games. Combining the two creates stories that draw us in. Tales that reach out and grab us remind us that we are human.

We are as obsessed with killer games as we are human. We fear the unknown and love the innocence of youth, combining the two offers us tales that resonate. No matter how many times we see them, we want more.