Hoarding, Looting, Consuming: Toward an Ecology of Care

Abstract

In the algorithmically curated landscapes of contemporary video games, players loot, hoard, and consume with a fervour that mirrors and often magnifies the rhythms of late capitalism. From the pixelated mazes of Pac-Man to the hyperreal delivery routes of Death Stranding, games have evolved into complex systems of accumulation, where virtual objects are not merely tools or rewards but symbols within a mythic economy of desire. In the first part, we discuss how primal survival human instincts are played with to reinforce ideological structures. Shifting player's gaze and desire towards consumption and accumulation. Following this analysis, we offer an ecological alternative model of play and engagement enriched by testimonies from yearlong in game ethnographic study of 20 PUBG mobile players across 5 different player squads and speculation by the authors.