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Playing War
Explores the culture that made military shooter video
games popular, and key in understanding the War on Terror
No video game genre has been more popular or more lucrative in
recent years than the \"military shooter.\" Franchises such as Call
of Duty, Battlefield, and those bearing Tom Clancy's name turn over
billions of dollars annually by promising to immerse players in
historic and near-future battles, converting the reality of
contemporary conflicts into playable, experiences. In the aftermath
of 9/11, these games transformed a national crisis into fantastic
and profitable adventures, where seemingly powerless spectators
became solutions to these virtual Wars on Terror. Playing
War provides a cultural framework for understanding the
popularity of military-themed video games and their significance in
the ongoing War on Terror. Matthew Payne examines post-9/11
shooter-style game design as well as gaming strategies to expose
how these practices perpetuate and challenge reigning political
beliefs about America's military prowess and combat policies. Far
from offering simplistic escapist pleasures, these post-9/11
shooters draw on a range of nationalist mythologies, positioning
the player as the virtual hero at every level. Through close
readings of key games, analyses of marketing materials, and
participant observations of the war gaming community, Playing War
examines an industry mobilizing anxieties about terrorism and
invasion to craft immersive titles that transform international
strife into interactive fun.
eBook