From the Ontology of Video Games to the Epistemology of Digital Movements: Towards a Semiotics of Virtual Practices

Video games and virtual reality environments function as complex image-movements, where meaning emerges from the synthesis of visual representation and kinetic performance. By moving beyond traditional textual analysis, this framework establishes that virtual experiences are fundamentally processual, relying on the interplay between a player’s physical interface inputs and the corresponding figurative actions within the game world. This approach rejects the artificial dichotomy between gameplay and narrative, instead positioning both as interdependent components of a unified, embodied practice.

The core of this analytical model rests on the kinetic diagram, which maps the structural relationship between abstract command syntaxes and their in-game manifestations. Through this lens, developers utilize stylized representations—often described as clever lies—to simplify physical reality into interactive, genre-specific micro-languages. These systems allow players to experiment with virtual mechanics, effectively actualizing narrative programs through rhythmic and physical engagement. By focusing on these kinetic-centered structures, researchers can better decode how players construct meaning within digital spaces.

Applying this methodology to contemporary titles like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild demonstrates how these semiotic frameworks operate in practice. The game serves as a primary case study for how simplified material representations facilitate complex, emergent gameplay. Ultimately, this perspective redefines the ontology of digital media, shifting the focus from static content to the dynamic, performative relationship between the user and the virtual environment. This kinetic-centered epistemology provides a robust foundation for understanding the interpretative processes inherent in all interactive digital practices.