A study of the militarized landscapes in gaming

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Landscapes are a crucial and dynamic part of the field of geography and can be researched in many ways. The visual study of militarized landscape can inform us about the type of landscapes we interact with every day. Among the most impactful ways landscape and geopolitics are expressed and viewed are through technology and digital space. How does the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare franchise represent militarized landscapes and environments? In particular, the subject of video games has become increasingly relevant to the field of landscape studies, geopolitics, and geography in general. The way these games are played, and the content within, creates a narrative and may impact how the player interprets the world and thinks about the landscapes that are represented. These games present representations of a wide range of social groups, nationality, place, and most importantly landscape. This thesis will explore several topics related to video game landscape, geopolitics, warfare--especially political propaganda--and oppositional binaries like us vs. them, the militarization of digital landscapes.