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Boris Bezdar

Considering that in the last twenty years or so, we're seeing more and more conscious political statements made throughout videogames medium, I wonder whether there are genres that inherently limit games to conform to a dominant ideology.
Let's take Comolli and Narboni's assumption regarding the cinema—that film is not just a material product of the system but also an ideological one. Therefore, it is also a political one. There is a whole classification of films based on how they depict reality—whether they completely conform to the dominant ideology, oppose it, or are nuancedly placed across this spectrum.
I suppose we may almost unproblematically adopt this classification to videogames without needing to tweak it. And while within most of the genres, I can find games that can be classified differently, some genres are somewhat homogenous.

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Boris Bezdar

For example, so-called 4X strategy games. Is there any 4X game that does not conform to the dominant ideology? I've never played a 'historical' 4X game that goes against the dominant idea of a nation-state. I've never played a 'space' 4X game that doesn't conform to the dominant idea of speciesism. Should I even mention imperialism?
I haven't played all of the 4X games ever made, and maybe missed some game that completely resolves the issue. But for now, I have a genuine question that mildly bothers me every time I think about it. Are there whole genres of my beloved medium that, no matter how developers try, their games will never be able to attack the dominant ideology and stay within the genre borders?

For example, so-called 4X strategy games. Is there any 4X game that does not conform to the dominant ideology? I've never played a 'historical' 4X game that goes against the dominant idea of a nation-state. I've never played a 'space' 4X game that doesn't conform to the dominant idea of speciesism. Should I even mention imperialism?
I haven't played all of the 4X games ever made, and maybe missed some game that completely resolves the issue. But for now, I have a genuine question that mildly bothers...

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