ROMANOV: Russian-Originated Media Archetypes & Narratives in Occidental Videogames
Introduction to the ROMANOV Archive: Exploring Russian Representations in Video Games from a Cultural Perspective
Throughout media, Russians have long been a source of fascination, mystery, and, sometimes, caricature. From the Cold War era onward, Hollywood and other entertainment industries developed a knack for portraying Russia in specific, often exaggerated ways. Video games are no exception. As I dive into these depictions, my goal is not to defend or criticize Russia’s real-world actions but rather to explore the cultural fabric that shapes these portrayals with facts and carefully-researched sources.
One popular all-encompassing stereotype—what Russians themselves call клюква or “cranberry”—represents an idealized, sometimes laughable, version of Russia, complete with snowy landscapes, fierce bears, heavy accents and stoic, vodka-loving characters, who are almost invariably guaranteed to be street thugs, terrorists and spies, ruthless gangsters, totalitarian communists, idealistic revolutionaries, corrupt government officials, religious fanatics, billionaire oligarchs, disillusioned or mad scientists, decadent prostitutes or lethal femme fatales. These stereotypes are a staple in movies and video games, painting an image that can be more folklore than fact, but, like all stereotypes, always created with a shred of truth. Through my analysis, I’ll look at how this idea persists in video games, examining the broader impact and underlying themes that shape these portrayals.
We must also confront the fact that this exploration inevitably touches on Russophobia—the fear, distrust, or disparagement of Russia and Russians. While the blog’s purpose is not to excuse or justify any country’s geopolitical actions, it aims to understand the cultural underpinnings of these portrayals. By doing so, I hope to reveal how certain narratives become ingrained, for better or for worse, and how they contribute to our perceptions of Russia in the gaming world. With ongoing geopolitical conflicts like the war in Ukraine, these portrayals take on new layers of meaning, sometimes reinforcing fears and misconceptions. Russophobia has, thusly, resurfaced in different forms, finding its way into cultural expressions, including video games. There mere mention of russophobia can also make some readers think the author sides unequivocally with Russia. This blog doesn’t aim to exonerate or defend any nation’s actions. There is absolute neutrality here, I believe, a much-needed element in a world which has become very easily consumed by fanaticism, hatred, extremism and jingoism. Instead, my goal is to explore how and why these representations persist in Western games and to examine what they reveal about our collective perceptions.
Ultimately, this series will look at the complex layers of representation and misrepresentation, allowing readers to form a more nuanced view of how Russian culture usually appears in video games. It should be noted, that for the sake of analytical coherence and also simplicity, Japanese-developed videogames are also included, as their representations frequently align with Western cultural perspectives and stereotypes regarding Russians, not to mention, many of them are directed to a Western audience or reference Hollywood stereotypes directly. Moreover, native Russian videogames, especially those that have made an impact abroad in Western audiences or have reached international audiences broadly, will be featured here, noting that the developers are native Russians, as sometimes Russian videogames themselves can be influenced by Western tropes or even cause an impact in the Western world, not to mention, it will be a great exercise to feature Russian videogames here in order to contrast them directly with their Western counterparts. This also includes Ukrainian, Belarusian and any other former Warsaw Pact state or ex-Soviet republic.
The ROMANOV Archive is ongoing and entries shall be constantly added, as well as edited and updated when needed.
Join me in exploring these cultural aspects with curiosity and enjoyment, as we look at Russia through the lens of art, gaming, and translation!
