Anthropomorphism: Hidden Potential in Video Games
Creators using Anthropomorphism in their work to communicate serious messages and themes is a common phenomenon in other media except for video games, where it’s mostly used for making characters look cool. With its power of intractability, why does it shy away from using anthropomorphism to its full potential? Is it not possible to replicate what other mediums have previously achieved with Anthropomorphism?
It is a possibility and this thesis argues the same while exploring the psychological and social factors involved in the question why we anthropomorphize at all. In order to understand this multi-layered tool of subversion, this Master thesis deconstructs the previous usages in different mediums where it has clearly worked such as Maus and Bojack Horseman.
![Anthropomorphism: Hidden Potential in Video Games](/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-gjvvook7.1600x0.jpg 1600w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-gjvvook7.1280x0.jpg 1280w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-gjvvook7.800x0.jpg 800w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-gjvvook7.640x0.jpg 640w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-gjvvook7.480x0.jpg 480w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-gjvvook7.320x0.jpg 320w)
![XV-1900/86: A Game made to explore the hidden potential.](/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-qu2tilhw.1600x0.png 1600w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-qu2tilhw.1280x0.png 1280w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-qu2tilhw.800x0.png 800w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-qu2tilhw.640x0.png 640w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-qu2tilhw.480x0.png 480w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-qu2tilhw.320x0.png 320w)
![Screenshot from the Game](/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-7x050stz.1600x0.jpg 1600w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-7x050stz.1280x0.jpg 1280w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-7x050stz.800x0.jpg 800w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-7x050stz.640x0.jpg 640w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-7x050stz.480x0.jpg 480w,
/site/assets/files/3223/zhdk-design-7x050stz.320x0.jpg 320w)