The Post-9/11 Video Game

This critical study of video games since 9/11 shows how a distinct genre emerged following the terrorist attacks and their aftermath. Comparisons of pre and post-9/11 titles of popular game franchises—Call of Duty, Battlefield, Medal of Honor, Grand Theft Auto and Syphon Filter—reveal reshaped notions of identity, urban and suburban spaces and the citizen’s role as both a producer and consumer of culture: New York represents America; the mall embodies American values; zombies symbolize foreign invasion. By revisiting a national trauma, these games offer a therapeutic solution to the geopolitical upheaval of 9/11 and, along with film and television, help redefine American identity and masculinity in a time of conflict.

Author Biography

Marc A. Ouellette is an award-winning educator who teaches cultural and gender studies at Old Dominion University, where he is the Learning Games Initiative Research Fellow. Jason C. Thompson is an associate professor of English at the University of Wyoming. and an active member of the Learning Games Initiative. He lives in Laramie, Wyoming.