Atra-Sol on reflections about video games, related culture, and the struggle of proletarian thought

free discussion
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Since its inception, video games have been entangled in endless moral and legal disputes. But as the most popular medium of the emerging internet, we must consider whether this medium can also play a positive role in our future proletarian struggle.

Video games shaped by the capitalist market are tools for profit and consumer entertainment. The stories they depict are often not especially noteworthy, but video games are by no means only sensory stimulation for enjoyment. From my own experience, the greatest value of video games lies in their media nature. A well-crafted video game can evoke myriad emotions and stimulate thoughts about life, nature, and society. The stories they tell will subtly transform people’s thinking.

The powerful means of dissemination bring strangers together to form a community of players; could this also promote the formation of new social forces? Even further… shape a revolution?

We adapt to the development of the times. We must face squarely the crucial role of video games in modern internet development and social interaction. It must not be a matter of blind rejection and avoidance. If excellent writers, strong program design, and artwork can serve players, allowing players to feel satisfied, then there is no reason why talented people should not enable players to access and understand proletarian revolutionary ideas and the spirit of struggle. Game designers can spread real emotions and reflections by telling virtual stories. We can also传播 the flame of revolution, making more people realize the importance of revolution.

Compared with film and books, games have even greater传播力. More suitable for the new era. We need to give this medium the attention it deserves; this blank sheet of a game must not be filled only with the strokes of reactionaries.

We welcome comrades to share their views, criticisms, and suggestions.

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如果我抛下一切去加入你们追求共产主义我会得到什么？
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My ideas: 1. The game must be completely free if it cannot generate profit. 2. The game content must not contain reactionary ideas like Anto Xiu. 3. There should be no discrimination against women. 4. When promoting Mao, Marx, and Lenin, pay attention to the tone of the speech to avoid being directly censored or the author being implicated and taken in for questioning or imprisonment. Welcome comrades to offer criticisms.

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If we put it that way, then what is a “revolutionary” video game? Why can video games serve the revolution? This requires a specific explanation. At least for now, all video games are of bourgeois nature. I don’t know what exactly you envision as a “revolutionary” video game—what kind of social ideas it should embody, what artistic principles it should follow, which social classes or strata it should reflect, the character and plot design in the script, the logical structure in programming, the drawing style and content in art, etc. Have you seriously thought about these questions?

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I really hadn’t thought about this before; I just discussed the outline at People’s Square and then published it for everyone to discuss.

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If none of these exist, then talking about “revolutionary” video games is completely empty talk, because empty talk is easy to say. Anyone can put a “revolutionary” coat on a video game, but what kind of game to make, how to realize it, and how to ensure that the game is truly revolutionary cannot be proven in a few words. It requires long-term arduous practice to demonstrate that there are truly so-called “revolutionary” video games, or perhaps there are none at all. The form of video games can only serve the bourgeoisie and cannot serve the proletariat, and so on.

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Two basic requirements of artistic creation are: one is to serve the workers, peasants, and soldiers politically, and the other is to have extremely high artistic quality. Such so-called “revolutionary” video games only utter some hollow slogans, without concrete political stance or artistic techniques. No one would truly believe in such things.

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I think that since we’re going to discuss this issue, we should first clarify the definition of video games. :thinking:

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Especially regarding the most important political issue, how can we ensure that video games definitely spread revolutionary ideas? This is something no one has done before. It’s not that we can’t try just because predecessors haven’t done it, but at least we should be more cautious. It is clearly inappropriate to casually express such ideas so lightly.

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Understood

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  Can you explain what aspects mainly demonstrate the “media nature”? Compared to movies and books, perhaps the dissemination ability of video games is not more sophisticated. In terms of participation, a movie can be watched by hundreds of people, a book can only be read by one person at a time, and games can be divided into single-player and multiplayer, most of which also do not exceed a hundred players in scale.
  Furthermore, almost all current games share a common feature: they require players to keep playing continuously, and this sustained gameplay results in a significant amount of time consumption. How can we ensure that after accepting the ideology, players will leave the video game and turn to genuine theoretical learning, ideological struggle, and social practice?

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Current video games not only have playability but also possess artistic qualities. Because as long as you’re not playing a double tennis game lying in a museum, today’s video games are primarily narrative-driven games. Under increasingly advanced image processors, they can vividly create typical characters and plots that reflect certain class ideas. Similarly, in the broader sense of ‘games’ within class society, they also have class characteristics; the landowning class can enjoy hunting, and even slavery can enjoy brutal games like hunting slaves. Today, the bourgeoisie also indulge in various decadent and brutal games in social circles and casinos.
Therefore, no matter what, games are primarily class-based. From this, it is not difficult to conclude that the games on the market today can only reflect the petty-bourgeoisie of the bourgeoisie.
Moreover, among them, the largest proportion of narrative games (not including competitive types for now) share a common feature: they create a seemingly real virtual world for players to immerse themselves in. This virtual world indeed reflects the worldview of the bourgeoisie. Therefore, we see a variety of open-world games filled with violence, pornography, materialism, and Proudhonism. In linear narrative games, which are closer to novels and movies telling a story, it becomes even more obvious that they express bourgeois viewpoints.
It is evident that today’s obsession with games can only cultivate bourgeois thoughts. The games on the market are decadent pleasures that trap people, allowing them to escape the oppression and struggles of real society and to acquire various vices. Games that simulate violence, pornography, prostitution activities, or game segments have already caused countless villains in capitalist society to imitate in reality.
As for proletarian games, they should develop on a broad platform of socialism. Currently, I do not believe they can play a strong propaganda role because their development and learning costs are quite high. Secondly, all current game designs are based on bourgeois theories, making it unrealistic for the vanguard to spend resources researching new proletarian game theories. They are deeply rooted in capitalist society. Let players play such a game, then be inspired, understand ideological struggles, and break away from other games in their Steam library—this is simply unimaginable.
However, I have seen some early attempts, such as the RCmod of Hearts of Iron on Steam, but these are only immature expressions of propaganda conditions. For example, it is still a mod of the game itself, while reactionary games like Hearts of Iron IV make players act as rulers of bourgeois states, wield armies, and carry out invasion and expansion. Playing these reduces the bloody and combative history, soldiers, and people on the battlefield to numbers and consumables, fostering extremely reactionary ideas. If you promote awakening and revolution through mods, it is impossible for players to continue playing such games.
I do not deny that games have a stronger emotional impact than some traditional art forms in certain aspects. However, overall, I do not think they can serve as effective propaganda tools now. It might be better to utilize other art forms, such as literature. Gorky once said, “Literature is the most widespread, convenient, simple, and effective means of propaganda with class tendencies,” although he did not have video platforms at that time.

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War Criminal Game 4 some mod, right

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Honestly, regarding the games on the market, they are basically works infused with bourgeois ideology. The resonance and the thoughts they provoke are also viewed through a bourgeois or petty-bourgeois worldview of time. Their ability to change thoughts as an external factor is because they align with many petty-bourgeois worldviews.

In reality, communities formed by gamers are basically just a gathering of petty-bourgeois who play games, exchanging various spiritual opiates of the bourgeoisie. Such communities are not new social forces, and a revolution is also impossible. As for your idea of powerful dissemination channels, I think it’s also incorrect. Using the internet, whether through videos or text, can achieve widespread dissemination. This is not a characteristic of games at all, and in terms of efficiency, the impact of text and videos is greater than that of games. Reading an article or watching a video may only take tens of minutes or an hour, but how long does it take to play a game?
I feel that your ideas are super-class and abstract, merely assuming that games have various advantages without considering what kind of games they are, and not truly comparing the effects of articles and videos.

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The biggest feature of video games is that they provide players with an interactive ability compared to books and movies. I believe that cross-network fun and interactive gameplay is more attractive than simple movies and books. Additionally, the need to play video games is unavoidable; they are like playing cards or dice. Entertainment is their original purpose. I think, with our current capabilities, creating a sophisticated small-scale game is not a pipe dream. Such games often have the characteristic of being more discreetly spread on the internet through small-scale carriers. At the same time, because of their small size, players’ playing time is definitely limited. We can’t guarantee that everyone will accept and participate in theoretical learning and social practice. But even if one person’s mindset begins to change and start thinking, it is worthwhile.

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This point itself is highly questionable. As mentioned above, there are many aspects to consider when making a game, and even whether video games can play a positive role is doubtful, lacking scientific evidence to support it.

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Revolutionary video games should be those that promote progressive ideas such as the proletarian revolutionary thought, dialectical materialism, and the people’s historical perspective, generally encouraging reflection beyond low-level entertainment. The birth of video games was initially for pure entertainment. Just as manuscripts and writing were originally for recording, video games have become capable of carrying information and more so, ideas. The class nature of video games stems from their primary role as entertainment consumer goods, similar to chess, board games, dice, and mahjong. When their production and service objects change, their nature must also change.

Our revolutionary video games must reflect the oppression and exploitation suffered by the proletariat, embody the spirit of unity and unwavering struggle. They should mainly depict the lives of workers and peasants, and secondarily, the lives of petty bourgeoisie in cities.

In terms of scripts, we should create vivid and lively images of the proletarian working people that the masses can feel close to. We must present class contradictions and expose reactionary acts in the best possible way within the script. The plot is open to imagination, so not much needs to be said.

In terms of art, we can adopt the artistic style of propaganda from the last century or try to find a newer, better style. It should also actively distinguish itself from popular culture.

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Yes, I believe we don’t need to spend enormous effort creating large-scale games. We should create small-scale (or even purely visual novel) experimental works with good content. Maybe the current medium of games isn’t yet capable of serving a revolution, and that’s futile. But I think trying is never a bad thing. The feedback and experience accumulated are the real treasures.

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This point indeed requires careful consideration.

The fundamental way to ensure that video games propagate revolutionary ideas is through our game’s script, which must undergo strict review and revision. Our scripts must make players think, and our games themselves should encourage players to think. The plot must be reasonable and logical. The story should not involve idealistic fantasies. Texts and plots related to reality should have clear sources, and should tell a rigorous story with a serious attitude, so that once players think, they enter the true rhythm of the game. I believe this can truly achieve dissemination.

In other words: the story should be reasonable, rigorous, and well-researched. The sources should be clear, facilitating inquiry and reflection. The game should encourage thinking, promoting subjective initiative and deep learning.

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In principle, these ideas are easy to state mechanically, but there should be specific research. How video games serve the proletariat, and how to rid current video games of bourgeois characteristics, cannot be solved by vague discussions of principles. Only principles that can be applied to concrete situations are truly principles; otherwise, discussing principles abstractly makes them empty.
If you want to argue your point, at least you should give an example, talk about how current bourgeois games are, why they are bourgeois, and then if you want to change the class nature of video games, what specific steps should be taken.

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And the particularity of games as a form of art lies in the fact that the audience has a dual role: they are both spectators and actors, and players themselves are a special character within the game. In the game, the audience can actively influence the effects through gameplay. If players ruin the game, then even the best game cannot serve to promote revolutionary ideas. How to transform the players’ own thoughts so that they play the game well is a further issue. If one truly wants to create a “revolutionary” game, this problem must be addressed first. This is a fundamental issue of the game form; without solving it, nothing else can be discussed.

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