The Post-9/11 Video Game (Paperback)

Marc A. Ouellette

ISBN 10: 0786499028 / ISBN 13: 9780786499021

Published by McFarland & Co Inc, Jefferson, NC, 2017

About this Item

Paperback. This critical study of video games since 9/11 shows how a distinct genre emerged following the terrorist attacks and their aftermath. Comparisons of pre and post-9/11 titles of popular game franchises--Call of Duty, Battlefield, Medal of Honor, Grand Theft Auto and Syphon Filter--reveal reshaped notions of identity, urban and suburban spaces and the citizen's role as both a producer and consumer of culture: New York represents America; the mall embodies American values; zombies symbolize foreign invasion. By revisiting a national trauma, these games offer a therapeutic solution to the geopolitical upheaval of 9/11 and, along with film and television, help redefine American identity and masculinity in a time of conflict. Demonstrates that a new genre of video games arises from the American experience of 9/11. The representations reflect reshaped notions of the (sub)urban spaces, identity and the role of the citizen as a consumer and as a producer of culture. Ouellette and Thompson combine semiotic and rhetorical analysis to bridge the gap between the narratology and ludology strands of game studies. Shipping may be from our Sydney, NSW warehouse or from our UK or US warehouse, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9780786499021

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Post-9/11 Video Game (Paperback)
• Publisher: McFarland & Co Inc, Jefferson, NC
• Publication Date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0786499028
• ISBN 13: 9780786499021
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

This critical study of video games since 9/11 shows how a distinct genre emerged following the terrorist attacks and their aftermath. Comparisons of pre and post-9/11 titles of popular game franchises--Call of Duty, Battlefield, Medal of Honor, Grand Theft Auto and Syphon Filter--reveal reshaped notions of identity, urban and suburban spaces and the citizen's role as both a producer and consumer of culture: New York represents America; the mall embodies American values; zombies symbolize foreign invasion. By revisiting a national trauma, these games offer a therapeutic solution to the geopolitical upheaval of 9/11 and, along with film and television, help redefine American identity and masculinity in a time of conflict.

About the Authors

Marc A. Ouellette is an award-winning educator who teaches cultural and gender studies at Old Dominion University, where he is the Learning Games Initiative Research Fellow.

Jason C. Thompson is an associate professor of English at the University of Wyoming. and an active member of the Learning Games Initiative. He lives in Laramie, Wyoming.