Playing Producer: An alternative perspective on video games as film

This analysis proposes a new framework for understanding the relationship between video games and cinema by shifting the focus from narrative and formal characteristics to the role of the player as a producer. While traditional game studies often struggle with the narrative paradox—the tension between fixed cinematic storytelling and player agency—this perspective suggests that players engage in creative processes analogous to those of film production, such as casting, costume design, cinematography, and script management, without requiring changes to the core plot.

Using the 2009 role-playing game Dragon Age: Origins as a primary case study, the research demonstrates how game mechanics allow for significant player agency in non-narrative areas. By customizing character appearances, managing interpersonal relationships, choreographing combat through tactical programming, and manipulating camera perspectives, players act as directors and producers of their own unique experience. These actions allow for personal expression and stylistic control that coexist with a predetermined narrative, effectively bridging the gap between ludic interactivity and cinematic structure.

The methodology relies on a qualitative examination of game design and mechanics, drawing on established theories of film studies, narratology, and game design. By framing the player as a creator rather than merely a participant or character, this approach offers a solution to the limitations of interactive movies, which often rely on restrictive branching storylines. Ultimately, this perspective suggests that games can influence socio-cultural messages through production-level choices, providing a more robust way to analyze the intersection of digital play and cinematic art.