Neocolonialism in Video Games: the Social Discourse of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)

Abstract

This paper explores the relationship between video games and neocolonialism narratives, focusing on Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007) as a case study. The Iraq War, initiated by the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, serves as a backdrop for examining how media, particularly video games, contribute to the legitimization of neocolonial interventions in the Middle East. While traditional media often rationalizes such interventions, we argue that video games like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare play a significant role in perpetuating militarism and violence, framing the U.S. as a global peacekeeper while depicting the Middle East as chaotic and threatening. Using Oliver Perez Latorre's (2015) methodology based on rhetorical analysis of game, we analyze the ludic design of character/player, game world, and game play activities, tracing how these elements construct the "other" in Middle Eastern factions and reinforce the binary of "us" versus "them." The game's depiction of Western protagonists as heroic defenders of global stability reinforces colonial ideologies and justifies military interventions. The game's narrative simplifies complex geopolitical conflicts into a clear dichotomy, positioning the West as morally superior and justified in its interventions. This paper argues that video games, while providing immersive and engaging game play experiences, also can serve as vehicles for reproducing colonial power dynamics and contributing to the ongoing legitimization of military interventionism in neocolonial contexts. By analyzing these representations, we demonstrate the significant role that video games play in shaping contemporary geopolitical ideologies and how they continue to reflect and perpetuate colonial ideologies.