Politics in games bad? I don't think so.

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

I keep hearing complaints from gaming youtubers about games incorporating real life political issues. Many claim it is a bad thing because it causes unnecessary division or it necessarily alienates a certain percentage of the audience. But when I think of a lot of my favorite games, they were written with very specific messages that could be interpreted as political in nature: Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre, Metal Gear Solid, Disco Elysium, for example. It really depends on the intention of the game, but gaming creators should be allowed to be auteurs if they wish to and allow their personal stories to speak through their games. Otherwise we are unnecessarily limiting the artistic capabilities of the gaming medium just because we are incapable of letting someone else's point of view challenge our own preconceived notions.

Where did all of this come from? I was inspired by Yasumi Matsuno's message about the remaster of Final Fantasy Tactics.

Imagine if Matsuno believed that politics didn't belong in video games. We would've never had Final Fantasy Tactics.

 

[destinyduelist]

These are the same types of people who's favourite games include the MGS and Fallout series.

 

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

These are the same types of people who's favourite games include the MGS and Fallout series.

Fallout:New Vegas is another good example of real life politics bleeding into the game's politics. Both Fallout:NV and Skyrim are good examples because you get to join various factions and learn of their perspectives. You experience all of the sides of the conflict.

And I know most of the youtubers are complaining about "woke" when they say they don't want politics. But they must make some disingenuous comment about political discourse as to not appear homophobic or racist.

 

[TotzOnGaming]

Regardless, it makes for good storytelling done right.

 

[elen]

the people who complain about politics in games, they just don't like things that challenge their views, which are the normie sorta "apolitical" but functionally right wing views. the people who are driven by their love of the product of the neo-colonial empire: their treats. they are the treatlerites. if a game doesn't challenge the status quo that provides them goodies, the treatlerites are satisfied. but when the game challenges their views, it's really easy for dorks like nerdrotic or that one annoying dude who always seems to be wearing a black hat? that probably describes a lot of them. look, anyway, it's really easy to make money by stirring up culture war drama over stuff like video games. honestly, if a "political" game came out and they didn't complain, there would be no outrage. it happens all the time.

here's an example that's immediately adjacent: hunter schaefer as zelda. she's perfect for it, she looks like a fucking elf, and she loves the games. she would rule as zelda! but since she's trans, it's now ~political.~ that's not political! her being trans doesn't matter! she fits the role in every way lmao. just shut up and enjoy the movie. there are no politics involved here unless you want to admit you got a problem with trans people, which. come on, man. it's 2025. you're not stopping anything by being mad about it lol.

anyway my point is, it's only "political" if you want to engage in the nonsensical culture war grift. whoof. ate too many of them gummies man.

edited to add: on the subject of Final Fantasy Tactics, I actually just played the FFT Prime hack, it's really good. It's the basically the Japanese PlayStation release with the War of the Lions script, and a ton of bug fixes and tweaks to the job system that make it a BIT more forgiving. highly recommend.

 

[Arklem]

This message was very inspiring, Final Fantasy Tactics is a beautiful game, and it's been so long since it's last re-released, i'm excited to see what new people will think about it, people who don't like politics in games are usually the ones who are afraid of seeing their own believes getting represented or critiqued in media. I agree with Matsuno that today's world needs to see this story again.

 

[DrunkGecko]

I just wanna say Asmongold should be kicked in the balls for calling everything "woke"

 

[elen]

uhhh, BASED.

 

[Strategist's icon Strategist Strategist]

the people who complain about politics in games, they just don't like things that challenge their views, which are the normie sorta "apolitical" but functionally right wing views. the people who are driven by their love of the product of the neo-colonial empire: their treats. they are the treatlerites. if a game doesn't challenge the status quo that provides them goodies, the treatlerites are satisfied. but when the game challenges their views, it's really easy for dorks like nerdrotic or that one annoying dude who always seems to be wearing a black hat? that probably describes a lot of them. look, anyway, it's really easy to make money by stirring up culture war drama over stuff like video games. honestly, if a "political" game came out and they didn't complain, there would be no outrage. it happens all the time.

Yeah, the issue seems to be "Politics I don't agree with or triggers me = bad". They have no problems with games that reinforce stereotypes, promote sexism or objectification of women, promote drug use, encourage gun violence, or militarism.

It is hard to know if they really believe what they say because it seems like complaining about politics and woke in video games is very algorithm friendly nowadays. They must continue to champion against it because their livelihood depends on it.

here's an example that's immediately adjacent: hunter schaefer as zelda. she's perfect for it, she looks like a fucking elf, and she loves the games. she would rule as zelda! but since she's trans, it's now ~political.~ that's not political! her being trans doesn't matter! she fits the role in every way lmao. just shut up and enjoy the movie. there are no politics involved here unless you want to admit you got a problem with trans people, which. come on, man. it's 2025. you're not stopping anything by being mad about it lol.

anyway my point is, it's only "political" if you want to engage in the nonsensical culture war grift. whoof. ate too many of them gummies man.

Yeah, that is a really good point. They insist on politicizing things that haven't been politicized in a long time. Like women/minorities/LGBT in media stopped being an issue a long time ago and now its being re-litigated all over again just because we have some cringe "woke" games.

 

[Retro Doomer]

I believe in Escapism if I want to be lectured or be constantly blasted by Politics than I just turn on the News.I play games to have fun and distract myself and yes its not possible unless for some generic shooter to completely avoid Politics but keep it low and I mean from both Sides Left and Right if you want to debate do it on a Politic Forum or in Real Life but keep it out of my Video Games.Games are meant for everyone to have fun and not meant as a Political Medium and yes if a Developer really wants to put Politics in their Games than they should do it but don't expect me to buy those, but that is just my Opinion.

 

[elen]

Yeah, that is a really good point. They insist on politicizing things that haven't been politicized in a long time. Like women/minorities/LGBT in media stopped being an issue a long time ago and now its being re-litigated all over again just because we have some cringe "woke" games.

yes this exactly wrapped it all up in like two sentences lol.

also, a lot of games people really like have "political" stuff in them! baldur's gate 3 has fucking pronouns and my character can be a hot lizard lady with a huge scaly dong (oh my god that was rough to write out) who's referred to with 'they/them' pronouns by demonic entities, but because the game is GOOD, and the inclusion is not by committee, it's clearly because the staff who made it are, idk, diverse enough to think of all the trans scalies out there who want to roleplay uhhh cloacal. stuff. look that's between them and God, point is, when a game isn't good, it's usually not because of the character being ~diverse,~ it's because the game is bad. they just go after the DEI stuff because seriously interrogating why a lot of games suck and feel like they were made by focus groups is because late capitalism forces people into making weird decisions in the name of chasing pure profit, the consumer is barely considered anymore. you gotta challenge your core beliefs about the goodness of the system you live in, and that's rough for people to do. so, instead you gotta be mad because abby looks like a man why can't last of us 2 have jiggle physics like dead or alive: extreme beach volleyball? technology is regressing!!! everything was better when i was eight!

 

[Arklem]

I just wanna say Asmongold should be kicked in the balls for calling everything "woke"

So true....

 

[RepoOnly]

it depends on what the politics most people are against is the DEI shit that almost killed gaming. But I still stand on the ground the real life shit does not belong in games games are used to escape reality so why force reality in to game when we are trying to escape it ?

Also games are made up it´s pure fantasy it does not need to reflect reality what so ever. Why does elves need to look like us or dwarfs? They don´t exist in real life so saying that you want to feel included in the game is dumb your not fracking elf or dwarf or demon or Tiefling so they don´t need to look like you.

But let me ask this if politics in games are not bad why is it banned on this forum ? because people don´t wanna talk about it and that the same thing we don´t wanna se it in game.

If you make up politics that fits the game that one thing but don´t bring in real life crap in to it no one wants that just like no one wan´t it on forums they join.

Final fantasy 16 has allot of politics in the game but it´s not your fighting Trump and Putin and such in the game. It is all made up politics that fit´s the game and the setting.

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 9:58 AM

I just wanna say Asmongold should be kicked in the balls for calling everything "woke"

How immature off you and don´t wish violence on others please just because you don´t share their opinion.

 

[Tortuga]

It's only bad if it include politics that i don't like

 

[DrunkGecko]

it depends on what the politics most people are against is the DEI shit that almost killed gaming. But I still stand on the ground the real life shit does not belong in games games are used to escape reality so why force reality in to game when we are trying to escape it ?

Also games are made up it´s pure fantasy it does not need to reflect reality what so ever. Why does elves need to look like us or dwarfs? They don´t exist in real life so saying that you want to feel included in the game is dumb your not fracking elf or dwarf or demon or Tiefling so they don´t need to look like you.

But let me ask this if politics in games are not bad why is it banned on this forum ? because people don´t wanna talk about it and that the same thing we don´t wanna se it in game.

If you make up politics that fits the game that one thing but don´t bring in real life crap in to it no one wants that just like no one wan´t it on forums they join.

Final fantasy 16 has allot of politics in the game but it´s not your fighting Trump and Putin and such in the game. It is all made up politics that fit´s the game and the setting.

Post automatically merged: Yesterday at 9:58 AM

How immature off you and don´t wish violence on others please just because you don´t share their opinion.

Their influence causes violence on people like me every day. Eye for an eye

 

[vulonkaaz's iconvulonkaaz]

what people complain about ain't politics it's about "body type 1/2" kind of sht which tbh serve no purpose other than dehumanizing people and make them confuse

most AAA games nowadays actually seem to have *not enough* politics not enough bad stuff going on that's why Starfield feel fake and boring per example

one example of LGBT done right in video games is Cyberpunk 2077 no weird "body type A/B" in character creator (actually I think they just used images instead of names which is probably the best solution to not trigger anyone) yet you can make whatever you want and gay characters are just common and it feels natural and not forced cause it's a cyberpunk universe with zero taboo on sex

 

[Retro Doomer]

Tortuga Even if I agree with the Politics in a Game it can be quite Cringe if done in the game,and like I said I rather avoid Politics especially in Fantasy worlds that should have nothing to do with our real world.Regardless if I agree with the Message or not.As I don't play a game to get Political affirmation.I play them to have fun and switch of so to say.​

 

[jmarlboro]

how good can be politics coming from some company that is ripping off your wallet? be honest to yourself

 

[Retro Doomer]

how good can be politics coming from some company that is ripping off your wallet? be honest to yourself

If It would be about how to Steal and Rip of People than those Companies would be Experts in doing such a Story ;)