Video Games as a Tool for Shaping Political Perception in the Digital Era

Modern video games, due to their interactive nature and high level of immersion, have become more than just a form of entertainment. They constitute a complex medium that reflects and transforms political and philosophical ideas, modeling social conflicts and testing the boundaries of individual freedom. This paper explores video games as platforms of political socialization, analyzing their role in shaping worldviews, collective identity, and ideological norms under conditions of digitalization. The research focuses on key philosophical and political themes presented in digital games—such as free will, moral choice, identity, and power—and investigates how narrative structures, gameplay mechanics, and online communities contribute to the reproduction or transformation of political values. Particular attention is paid to case studies of popular and narratively complex projects, including Cyberpunk 2077, Metro: Exodus, Counter-Strike 2, Assassin’s Creed: Unity, and Battlefield 1. Methodologically, the study employs qualitative content analysis and case analysis, drawing on political philosophy, social theory, and philosophy of technology. The novelty of this research lies in its comprehensive approach, combining theoretical reflection with empirical analysis of specific game projects, in order to evaluate the potential of video games as instruments of cultural diplomacy, soft power, and ideological influence. The results indicate that video games increasingly act as laboratories of digital experience, where values are tested, social roles are reproduced, and interaction with authority is modeled. Thus, video games should be regarded not only as cultural artifacts but also as active mechanisms of political socialization in the digital era.

Video games, Interactive media, Soft power, Political socialization, Media identity, Political perception, Digital era, Political communication, Social constructs, Ideological influence