Computer game developers are reporting a slow but stable growth in the U.S. religious gaming market, giving hope to a market on the verge of boom similar to that of the Christian music market ten years ago.

CEO of N’Lightning Software the Rev Ralph Bagley, whose company was one of the first to break into the Christian video game market, estimates that as much as half of all video game players are Christian. N’Lightning’s first title "Catechumen", originally turned down by investors in 1996, has gone on to sell 80,000 copies worldwide since its release in 2001. The company’s second title, "Ominous Horizons" was also successful, going on to sell more than 50,000 copies.

Rev Bagley said: "I have always been a gamer since the days of Pong and Pacman.

"But as the games got nastier, I was getting pretty conflicted about coming home from church and playing things like Doom and Quake.

"I began to look for something else, but there was a gaping hole in the market."

The father of two was also responsible for founding the Christian Game Developers Foundation, which aims to promote Christian computer games and give them the same credibility as secular games.

He said: "Simply forbidding our children from playing video games is not the answer.

"We have to give them quality alternatives that match the excitement of secular games while promoting Christian values – without the violent or sexually explicit content."

Rev Bagley is not put off by the slow development of the Christian sector, saying, "Fifteen years ago, the Christian music world looked like Christian games today. It wasn’t until the Christian music companies came together as a group and focused on quality that they were able to achieve success."

Go Play Research video game analyst Billy Pidgeon is also encouraged, pointing out that although "socially conservative Christians may not want their children to play games at all, when kids are asking to play video games, Christian parents may find these games an acceptable way to promote their values, keeping their children entertained."

The Christian games market is being aided by mainstream companies expanding operations to cater for the Christian games market.

Crave Entertainment is taking a turn from its well-known titles like "World Championship Poker" to expand into the Christian market, with its first Christian title "The Bible Game" due for release on Play Station 2 and Game Boy Advance in November.

In this game, players are cast as contestants on a game show in which they answer questions on all manner of Biblical scenes from David and Goliath to Noah’s Ark.

The makers called the game "wholesome fun", hoping that it will become a standard family video game.

"Left Behind: Eternal Forces" is a strategy game based on a 13-volume book series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins and is set in New York during the End of Days. The books have already sold 63 million copies and developers of the game version are hoping it will become the biggest release in the Christian video game sector to date.

Left Behind CEO Troy Lyndon said the games will be sold in Wal-Mart which already accounts for around 25% of all computer game sales in the U.S. Lyndon is hopeful his game will make big sales, saying, "If only 10% of the readership buys our game, it will be a top hit, selling more than 1 million units."

Others in the games industry have predicted less success than Christian game developers are expecting, Alex Navarro, associate editor of online magazine GameSpot, saying that Christian games just do not have the edge most people are looking for.

He said: "Most people who play computer games want those visceral thrills. I can’t see Christian games ever being anything other than a niche product."

Pidgeon agreed, saying that anything on the level of success of Mel Gibson’s movie "The Passion of Christ" was still a long way off, as such films are much more accessible to the Christian populace than video games.

Furthermore, Pidgeon believes, "‘Left Behind’ will not likely convert gamers to Christianity, but will need to convert Christians (the books’ fan base) to video gaming."

The motives and game content of Christian developers are, however, likely to be a refreshing alternative for family groups concerned with the violence and sexually explicit imagery of most computer games on the market.

"No blood, no guts, no gore," says Rev Bagley. "What we want are emotionally full games that don’t just rely on adrenaline."

"We are trying to build the genre of Christian gaming. People are tired of having these violent, demonic games dictating their kids."

Tim Emmerich of GraceWorks Interactive also believes that the PC market is primed for Christian games, with educational games sales continuing to boom on PC format.

Bagley believes that his Christian Game Developers Foundation will have enough money to begin developing its next generation of games within 12 months, with the first one already on sale by autumn 2007.