The Role of Games in Cultural Dissemination: A Comparative Analysis of Multilingual Reviews

Abstract

This study examines the role of video games in cultural dissemination through a comparative analysis of four culturally representative titles: Black Myth: Wukong(Chinese mythology, China-developed), Total War: THREE KINGDOMS(Chinese history, UK/Japan-developed), Ghost of Tsushima (Japanese culture, USA-developed), and Red Dead Redemption 2 (American culture, USA- developed). By collecting and analyzing multilingual (Chinese, Japanese, and English) player reviews from Steam using co-occurrence network analysis (KH Coder), this research explores nuanced differences in player focus, cultural engagement, and perceptions of cultural narratives. Findings reveal that Chinese and Japanese players often demonstrate strong familiarity, appreciation, and deep engagement with culturally proximate or familiar narratives, though gameplay mechanics remain important. For instance, Chinese players showed strong cultural pride and engagement with Black Myth: Wukong, while Japanese players highly appreciated the cultural depiction in Ghost of Tsushima. In contrast, English-speaking players generally prioritize gameplay mechanics and overall game experience, showing more limited explicit engagement with the cultural backgrounds of foreign-themed games, unless the depicted culture is highly familiar (as observed with Red Dead Redemption 2). These patterns highlight the complex interplay of cultural proximity, developer origin, genre, and narrative appeal in shaping the cross-cultural reception and dissemination potential of video games.