Laughing to Die

Playing Anachronism in Time: Towards the Ludobiography in the Context of Chinese Indie Games

The article explores the concept of "ludobiography" within the context of Chinese indie games, analyzing how these games utilize anachronism as both a critical and aesthetic strategy.

• Anachronism, drawn from Georges Didi-Huberman, is presented as both a critical and aesthetic strategy for Chinese indie creators caught between drawing on traditional cultural resources and pursuing realist authenticity.
• The paper extends Rob Gallagher's concept of ludobiography, autobiographical games that challenge humanist assumptions about selfhood, to Chinese indie games analysed through temporality, arguing videogames can extend players' agency across multiple temporalities.
• Internationally recognised Chinese indie games are predominantly visual novels with strong autobiographical impulses, often shaped by resource constraints and the precarity of creators' social circumstances.