Allegorithmic Politics of Game Exchange – Subversion, Ideology, and Capitalism in Strategy Game

Abstract

This paper proposes that the underlying ideological mechanisms of game fiction are based on dominant modes of exchange of players’ labour for game progress. It offers an analysis of two iconic strategic games Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition and Civilization VI, which can be seen as advocates of capitalist exchange. Although games promise emancipatory, subversive, and speculative futures or joyful idleness. I argue that this potential is limited due to the games underlying ideologies, to define these ideologies and fully use the emancipatory potential of the game medium we should unmask their underlying modes of exchange. I argue that this can be done through analysis of the inner game markets - the mode by which players exchange their labour for advancing in the game’s algorithm - and finally, I propose developing alternative modes of game exchange, allowing for critical and speculative gameplay.