Agonistic Games: Multiperspective and Unsettling Games for Social Change

This analysis examines the development and theoretical framework of Agonistic Games (AGs), a specialized subset of serious games designed to foster social change by challenging polarized historical narratives. The primary thesis posits that traditional historical accounts often rely on binary "us versus them" frameworks that dehumanize perpetrators and simplify complex socio-political conflicts. By applying the principles of Agonism—a political theory emphasizing the recognition of adversaries within a shared democratic space—these games aim to promote reflection, empathy, and a more nuanced understanding of historical events by presenting multiple perspectives, including those of perpetrators, bystanders, and victims.

The research highlights three core design tenets for effective Agonistic Games: framing narratives around unsettling decisions with significant consequences, promoting reflection through multi-perspectivist gameplay, and establishing a context that resonates with the player’s own cultural or historical identity. These principles were applied to the development of two specific titles, Endless Blitz and Umschlag '43, created in collaboration with memory studies experts for the "Krieg. Macht. Sinn." exhibition at the Ruhr Museum in Germany. These games utilize role-play and interactive decision-making to force players to confront the moral complexities of war, such as prioritizing personal safety over others or following orders that result in civilian harm.

The scope of this work encompasses the intersection of game design, memory studies, and political science, specifically addressing 20th-century European conflicts. The methodology involved an interdisciplinary design process, integrating historical research with iterative game development to ensure that gameplay mechanics effectively mirror the structural and social inequalities of the past. By moving beyond the cosmopolitan focus on victimhood, these games seek to re-humanize historical agents and encourage a more critical engagement with the past to address contemporary issues of social cohesion and rising xenophobia.