Mr Dan John

(he/him)

Research

Thesis

Cause and Consequence - Roleplaying Ideology in Video Games

My thesis seeks to explore how ideology and ideological practices are portrayed in video games, specifically dystopian and alternative histories that diverge from our own world in a significant manner. This study promises to be an insight into how ideologies from across the political spectrum and beyond, along with moderate and extreme leanings of these ideologies, intract with narrative and players through the medium of video games. 

I am specifically looking at alternative history titles, such as Disco Elysium (2019), the Fallout (1997-) series, Tyranny (2016), and Cyberpunk 2077 (2020, with the expansion Phantom Liberty released in 2023). Each of these games, while not necessarily conforming to our own historical timeline, each feature ideas that have echoed throughout the 20th century and beyond, and often call out to our collective memories and biases surrounding these themes. In this study I will explore each title/franchise through a plethora of different historical lenses that will allow for insight into how these ideas are cultivated and presented to the player, as well as how the player can further interact with these ideas through the medium of speech and gameplay.

Supervisors

Esther Wright

Senior Lecturer in Digital History, Digital Strategy Lead