Doing Better With Steamscapes
A few months ago, I wrote an analysis of the politics of Steamscapes. In that piece, I tried very hard to outline both the good and the bad in what…
The Politics of Steamscapes
Okay, I've had some time to ponder this one, so it's time I tackle it. Steamscapes is a setting I have worked on for many years, and there is a…
The Politics of Rockalypse
In a previous post, I promised a look at our own games and the politics that they present. In our first post, we'll take a look at Rockalypse, the Fate-powered…
All Games Are Political, and So Are Ours
You’ve heard it before, I’m sure. Someone says, “I just want to play games to have fun” when they hear about a game with overt political messages (such as this). Or even (heaven forfend) when games go out of their way to broaden representation through characters or themes.
But there is no such thing as an apolitical game. All games support certain political and social views and reject others. If you don’t notice that they’re doing it, it’s not because it’s not happening, it’s because the views they’re supporting are ones you share. It’s perfectly valid to want to play games that are more comfortable for you in this way, but it’s also good to acknowledge that a) this doesn’t mean those games are apolitical and b) other people with different views might find different games to be comfortable.