The Meaning We Give It: Utopic Manifestation in Interactive Media

Abstract

This thesis seeks to answer the research question: How is the utopian genre categorised, constructed and consumed in interactive media? Pulling from a mixture of qualitative and quantitative research methods three case studies, Bloodborne (FromSoftware, 2015), Persona 5 (Hashino, 2017) and The Wolf Among Us (Telltale Games, 2013) are analysed and three utopian schemata constructed. These schemata are designed to function as codes to analytically code the game and determine the location of every utopic sign that can be found during a single playthrough. Utopia in this project is defined as an action a person takes, or an object they create that is designed to lead to, or evoke the memory of, the best version of themselves. This definition of utopia influenced what was termed a utopic sign. From this analysis a deeper investigation into the three case studies follows, examining the different forms utopia can take in a variety of video game story-worlds such as refugee narratives, worlds that mimic our own highlighting corruption and dystopian story-worlds beyond salvation. Utopia is continually present in each of these examples and its malleability is indicative of humanity’s need for a utopic journeys and goals; video games construct narratives full of such journey that can impact a player on multiple levels. These case studies have crafted complex surrogate societal experiences that engage with players on a deep emotional level, affect their responses and highlight flaws in our own society. The ability of this medium to create play experiences at this level while still giving agency over to a player highlights the power of video games, their potential for societal construction and the impact they can have upon a player. This project not only brings this important aspect of video games to the fore but provides a method of study others can replicate to examine both utopia and dystopia in games and an unparalleled insight into the relationship between utopia and video games.

Date of Award	30 Nov 2020
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Bangor University
Sponsors	James Pantyfedwyn Foundation
Supervisor	Rebecca Skains (Supervisor)