Games set you free: The Ideologization of Gaming by “spiritual intellectuals” in Japan

Despite the developments in the game industry over the past decades, game studies remain in an embryonic stage in Japan, especially those focusing on religion. One exception is the recent initiative to establish a university-based research unit on game studies led by a scholar of religion who was once severely criticized as being an Aum Shinrikyo supporter in 1995. The scholar, Shinichi Nakazawa, known as a “spiritual intellectual” for his postmodern interpretation of Buddhist philosophy and practices, now advocates for game studies in the Anthropocene, enhanced by AI technologies. He envisions a future where Homo sapiens are liberated from labor and exploitation, transforming into Anima ludens. This paper critically examines their new ideology and also compares it with how Japanese young people actually engage with games, where the religious elements of such engagement are more ritualistic.