Identity at the Crossroads:

Cultural Negotiation in Player-Character Relationships

Abstract

Digital games have become significant cultural platforms that offer players opportunities to explore identity, relationships, and agency in virtual spaces. While much scholarship on player-character relationships in role-playing games has emphasized personal expression and psychological identification, this study shifts the focus to how ambiguity in game design shapes the interpretive labor expected of players. Using Ashes of the Kingdom (Qookka Games 2023) as a case study, I argue that the game’s refusal to resolve narrative and moral tensions constitutes a form of designed non-commitment. This structured ambiguity delegates interpretive responsibility to players, transforming identification into a culturally situated process of negotiation.