Sympathy for the devil - The perception of morally-ambiguous characters in video games

Abstract

This article is an exploration of players’ perception of video game characters that are neither presented as heroes nor villains but can rather be classified as morally-ambiguous. This research focuses on the significance of identification and transportation and connects character likability and in-favor choices for playable characters, to see how players make sense of morality in video games. In order to understand how individual players perceive characters and interpret the narrative, seven players were first observed while playing the video game Man of Medan and later interviewed via semi-structured interviews. The results show that the process of identification is driven by various factors that will also influence the players’ decision process regarding morality. The study recognizes three different Player types, based on players’ behavior within the narrative, that help identify players’ needs and goals within the gaming experience.