Kseniia is a doctoral candidate at the University of Klagenfurt, Austria. Her dissertation project focuses on developing a virtual reality game aimed at enhancing empathy in the context of forced migration experiences. Kseniia received her Master’s degree in Game Studies and Engineering from the University of Klagenfurt and a Bachelor’s degree in Software Engineering from the National Technical University of Ukraine. Kseniia is also involved in community organizing and promotes diversity in games. Last year she started the “Games Intersectional” local community for marginalized people in the video games industry and academia.
Unraveling the Romanticization of Colonial, Imperial and Authoritarian Narratives in Modern Video Games
FROG 2024 – Talk
In the current landscape of video games, the portrayal of historical and political themes has become increasingly influential. This paper explores the subtle ways in which popular games, such as “The Battle of Polytopia,” “Root,” “Lil’ Guardsman,” and “Stray” normalize and, in some cases, romanticize the narratives of colonialism, imperialism, and authoritarianism. These games offer a unique lens to examine how contemporary digital media recreates and reinterprets historical power dynamics.
“The Battle of Polytopia” presents a simplified, mobile strategy experience where players expand their empires through conquest and development, cloaked in minimalist aesthetics. This juxtaposition of ‘cute’ graphics with themes of domination and expansion raises questions about the trivialization of colonial undertones. “Root,” a board game with a digital adaptation, uses anthropomorphic woodland creatures to allegorically represent various forms of governance and resistance. The game’s portrayal of territorial control and factional conflict offers rich ground for analyzing metaphorical representations of imperialism. “Lil’ Guardsman” contributes to these themes by simulating the authoritarian border control mechanics of “Papers, Please” within a fantasy cartoon world. Finally, “Stray” offers a post-apocalyptic perspective of an adventure game where players control a cute stray cat navigating a decaying city inhabited by robots, exploring themes of survival and societal collapse.
Utilizing an interdisciplinary approach, this paper employs theories from cultural studies and game studies to dissect game mechanics, narrative elements, and aesthetic choices. The aim is to uncover how these games reflect, distort, or confront historical narratives of colonization and empire-building.
This research contributes to the broader conversation about the role of video games as media of ideology, particularly in how they shape our perceptions of historical and contemporary socio-political issues. It underscores the need for critical engagement with video games as they increasingly become a part of our cultural and educational fabric, influencing views on history, politics, and identity.
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