TEHRAN – Iran is set to host the Baazista Game Script Writing National Event for the first time in various provinces across the country in February, 2024, the organizers have announced. 

The event is exclusively designed for young participants, and will take place in Tehran, Gilan, Qazvin, Fars, Khorasan Razavi, Yazd, and Isfahan provinces, announced festival secretary Mohammadreza Emamqoli during a press conference at Tehran’s Art Bureau on Monday.

With themes related to Iranian identity, the Islamic revolution and the Sacred Defense, as well as sections about Shahnameh myths, scientists, national heroes, and martyrs, religious issues, and colonial history, the event aims to develop participants’ problem-solving and conflict resolution skills through games, he added. 

“Games and playing is the arm of upbringing and experiencing new worlds is possible through games.”

Emamqoli emphasized the importance of game script writing as a creative and educational activity for Iranian youth. He stated that the event aims to promote cultural values and national identity while providing an opportunity for young people to engage in a fun and stimulating activity. 

Participants will be divided into different age categories and will be required to create game scripts that reflect the themes of the event, he said and added: “The winning scripts will be selected by a panel of judges and will be considered for development into actual games.”

For his part, Masoud Hassanlu, an official with the Vice Presidency for Science and Technology stated that the Baazista event will prioritize emerging entertainment formats such as escape rooms, environmental games, and board games.

"Cinema might be a family-friendly option, but it lacks interactivity," he explained, adding that environmental games and escape rooms provide a platform that families need.

Hassanlu emphasized the importance of developing game scripting as a sustainable business, and said that soft technologies can also be used to address social issues in the community, such as the environment, Persian language loss, national identity, and other social challenges.

"Our identity has grown with stories and has taken various forms over time from storytelling to writing and the narration of filmmakers,” he said. 

“Today, game designers have also become integral to shaping our cultural fabric through their narratives and as technological advancements have become indispensable in our era, storytelling that was once limited to traditional media is now advancing and expanding with gaming concepts.”

In current age, gaming and game design are crucial in addressing social issues and building identity," he elaborated.

He emphasized that navigating a modern society that demands sophisticated policymaking and game design expertise has become increasingly complex. 

Communities that have grown up with gaming have become highly responsive to game-based processes, ultimately identifying game design as a model for policymaking, he added. 

If problem-solving infrastructure is not established in childhood, non-elite individuals may lack essential problem-solving capabilities, he noted.  

"Incorporating gaming as a valuable tool in education for children and young adults is both necessary and achievable. Therefore, Baazista's efforts are commendable for placing a focus on this important aspect. A brighter, more effective future for our country can be anticipated with Baazista at the forefront," he asserted.

The selected games of the event will enter the production phase. This event is organized in partnership with the Qazvin and Tehran Art Bureaus, the Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Ministry, the Ministry of Education, and the Municipality of Tehran.

SAB/