Interpreting the Soviet Legacy in Atomic Heart: Nostalgia, and Cultural Reflections of Post-Soviet Generation Players
(2024) MKVM13 20241Media and Communication Studies
Department of Communication and Media
- Abstract
- The action of a video game Atomic Heart takes place in an alternate Soviet world that combines historical and futuristic elements. This unusual setting provides an intriguing research niche for studying how games as digital media interact with collective memory and cultural perception of the post-Soviet generation. This study examines how the post-Soviet generation reflects on the game’s depiction of an alternative Soviet history from the perspective of players’ perceptions and emotional reactions. The analysis especially focuses on how players interpret Soviet-era symbols in the game in relation to their personal and cultural backgrounds.
The research uses a methodological approach that combines Gillian Rose’s visual analysis with... (More) - The action of a video game Atomic Heart takes place in an alternate Soviet world that combines historical and futuristic elements. This unusual setting provides an intriguing research niche for studying how games as digital media interact with collective memory and cultural perception of the post-Soviet generation. This study examines how the post-Soviet generation reflects on the game’s depiction of an alternative Soviet history from the perspective of players’ perceptions and emotional reactions. The analysis especially focuses on how players interpret Soviet-era symbols in the game in relation to their personal and cultural backgrounds.
The research uses a methodological approach that combines Gillian Rose’s visual analysis with semi-structured interviews. The visual analysis is used to provide contextual understanding of the game’s visual elements, complementing the more nuanced outcomes conducted through interviews. While semi-structured interviews delve into players’ emotional and interpretive responses, exploring how visual elements of Soviet culture represented in the game resonate with their personal stories and collective memories.
The results of the study highlight the complex relationship between the cultural background of players from post-Soviet countries and their experience with Atomic Heart. The players have demonstrated a range of emotional connections, such as nostalgia and critical reflection, caused by both direct and indirect encounters with Soviet history. The study shows that Atomic Heart not only entertains, but also serves as a medium for cultural reflection and historical discourse, to rethink the narratives of the past through the lens of modern perceptions.
Ultimately, this study aims to broaden the discussion about how digital games such as Atomic Heart are shaped by cultural memory, offering new insights into historical narratives and their impact on contemporary cultural understanding. By documenting and analyzing the cultural and emotional impact of media representations of Soviet history, this study contributes to a broader understanding of the role of digital games in modern cultural discourse, especially among the post-Soviet generation (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9151526
- author
- Koniakhina, Elizaveta LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- MKVM13 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- cultural memory, mediated memories, Soviet nostalgia, post-Soviet generation, mediation, remediation, Atomic Heart, video games, alternative history
- language
- English
- id
- 9151526
- date added to LUP
- 2024-06-12 08:36:51
- date last changed
- 2024-06-12 08:36:51
@misc{9151526,
abstract = {{The action of a video game Atomic Heart takes place in an alternate Soviet world that combines historical and futuristic elements. This unusual setting provides an intriguing research niche for studying how games as digital media interact with collective memory and cultural perception of the post-Soviet generation. This study examines how the post-Soviet generation reflects on the game’s depiction of an alternative Soviet history from the perspective of players’ perceptions and emotional reactions. The analysis especially focuses on how players interpret Soviet-era symbols in the game in relation to their personal and cultural backgrounds.
The research uses a methodological approach that combines Gillian Rose’s visual analysis with semi-structured interviews. The visual analysis is used to provide contextual understanding of the game’s visual elements, complementing the more nuanced outcomes conducted through interviews. While semi-structured interviews delve into players’ emotional and interpretive responses, exploring how visual elements of Soviet culture represented in the game resonate with their personal stories and collective memories.
The results of the study highlight the complex relationship between the cultural background of players from post-Soviet countries and their experience with Atomic Heart. The players have demonstrated a range of emotional connections, such as nostalgia and critical reflection, caused by both direct and indirect encounters with Soviet history. The study shows that Atomic Heart not only entertains, but also serves as a medium for cultural reflection and historical discourse, to rethink the narratives of the past through the lens of modern perceptions.
Ultimately, this study aims to broaden the discussion about how digital games such as Atomic Heart are shaped by cultural memory, offering new insights into historical narratives and their impact on contemporary cultural understanding. By documenting and analyzing the cultural and emotional impact of media representations of Soviet history, this study contributes to a broader understanding of the role of digital games in modern cultural discourse, especially among the post-Soviet generation}},
author = {{Koniakhina, Elizaveta}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Interpreting the Soviet Legacy in Atomic Heart: Nostalgia, and Cultural Reflections of Post-Soviet Generation Players}},
year = {{2024}},
}