Orientalism in a Digital Age

Extracts from Digital Arabs: Representation in Video Games

By Vit Sisler

Orientalism in a Digital Age

Video games provide a structured image of the world, and apart from the hero’s, who provide the background and personality, often game characters are depicted only by several distinctive symbols. Similarly, the in game surroundings and settings are rendered frequently by repetition of a number of textures and schemes – applies to games which adopt Middle Eastern settings.

Edward Said’s classic work analysed the Orientalist debate of the 19^th and early 20^th century which recreates Islamic society as a timeless and exotic entity. The Middle East was depicted in a naïve and historicizing way serving the colonial approach of real politics – games used very much the same patterns and portrayed the same colonial impression, often including motifs such as head-scarfs, turbans, scimitars, tiles and camels with character concepts as caliphs, Bedouins, djinns, belly dancers and harems. Games portraying a contemporary and historical or fantastical Middle East constitute separate categories, mostly using different imagery, storyline and gameplay.

Roland Barthes gives a diagnosis of how imitative arts comprise two messages – denoted (symbolised) and connoted (implied) – what society thinks of it. Unlike fine arts games often have a story or introduction to the quest - mainly a plot that begins with a kidnapping of a woman, in the games that were analysed, by an evil character and rescued and revenged by the hero. Medieval fantasy games often have a similar reference reinforcing stereotypical notions of arbitrary, cruelty and barbarism.

Almost all the Middle East games use a quasi-historical element to give an oriental impression and few use real historical events- remarkable when compared with the number of factual historical games. This prevalent ‘Orientalist’ mode of representation can be perceived as an exclusion from constructive conversational, overshadowing the represented contribution to contemporary reality.

In the majority of action games, the point of the game is to kill ‘others’ who typically are ‘one of them’. Middle East is a favourite virtual battleground for action genre games often taking place in the Middle East or in ostensibly anonymous settings.

The player often controls American or coalition forces while the enemy units are controlled by the computer. Often playing for the 'other side' isn't allowed and the enemy is depicted by a set of arranged attributes often referred to as Arabs or Muslims with headcover, loose clothes and dark skin colour. Often in the games the enemy is generalised or collectivised for example ‘haven for terrorists’ militants or insurgents but coalition soldiers are usually humanised and individualised by their nicknames or specific visual characteristics and given moral missions emphasised by professionalism and courage. The enemy is often presented in a way that suggests that they are not real soldiers – removing the legitimacy of their actions. Even on a level of artificial intelligence controlling the enemy soldiers is described by scrips – undisciplined poses, shouting and yelling or raising weapons above their heads, laughing mockingly after they kill demonstrating unlawful combatants.

Command and Conquer allows the player to choose from three sides of a fictional conflict and again the description of the struggling factions is significant, as the US has powerful and expensive units – superior intelligence capabilities and flexible air force allows them to strike quickly anywhere on the map. Arab Global Liberation Army, on the other hand is distinguished by ‘ terrorists with car bombs, suicide bombers with explosives strapped to their bodies and anthrax delivery systems to name a few. Gerard Greenfield noted that choosing to be “enemy” adds no objectivity and makes it harder to win and the enemy is still depicted in racist terms. Nina Huntermann states that 9/11 is so culturally significant that the games takes on a new meaning – fighting terrorism and combat games increases set in the Middle East. 
Even the artwork on the games cover is 'racist' and bias. The  GLA (Global Liberation Army) general is wearing a full head vale has his gun up in the air and you can make out more of his facial features that the other two. Where as the other Generals are wearing distinctive military hats and berets thay also have very distinct facial features, the US general has a very strong square jawline and cheek bones. Before you've even chosen your side or played the game, GLA have been demoralised or even being worthy of having an actually army

Recent studies have examined the public relations recruitment and promoting significance in video games or explaining and vindication the ‘War against Terror.’ The scene and engagement can reshape comprehension of the narrative and can be politically influenced.

Nina Huntemann compares games with war films made in the 1940s that provides an overwhelming amount of technical information but lacks deeper understanding of the conflict or outcome.

Zhan argues that the confines of visual representation of war in video games detaches it from actual reasoning – it reinforces the good self and evil Other; obviating the need for further explanation of the conflict.

Sid Meier’s Civilization series challenges the mainstream trend allowing players to act on parts of various civilizations and engage in building cities, establishing trade routes and interacting with others on a diplomatic or military basis through thousands of years of virtual history. The game neatly describes each civilization with its own unique traits and are very culturally sensitive – the player can choose any side and it generally rewards cooperation.  Civilization 3 has many historical Middle Eastern scenarios and equipped with an encyclopedia. The history however is precisely the opposite of history, not because of an imperial perspective but because of the diachronic details of lived life are replaced by synchronic similarity and not true of history.

While Sid Meier refreshing turns history and anthropology books into a strategy game that is diplomatically and culturally sensitive while being unique in its historical correctness.

Vit Sisler concludes that the game Civilization is one of the few games that Arabs and Muslims are portrayed as enemies or depicted in an orientalist manner but a possible representation of the players self.
Civilization is a turn based video game, the aim of the game is to build a virtual empire to stand the test of time. The players attempt to expand and develop their empire through the ages anctent ear to modern day near-future times. 

The Japanese video game titles makes up a significant portion of the video game market, such as Final Fantasy, Street Fighter, Super Mario Brothers. Japanese video game titles run the gamut of genre, cropping up into every category. Yet, despite the input Japan has in the market, the average 'American' consumer has very little knowledge of the culture that produces these main stream games.  Due to the willing ignorance of us as gamers, we consume the game only, without knowledge or understanding of the culture that produced it. Many consumers are confused by certain works coming from Japan, there has been a rise of phrases and internet viral memes such as 'Only in Japan,' 'Those crazy Japanese' or 'Oh Japan'. 
These snippets of Japanese culture give the ignorer consumer perhaps a misunderstood conception of what Japan is like as a whole.