We Are Americans, Period: The (re)construction of Soviet and American soldiers experience in the World War II of ‘Call of Duty’ videogame franchise (2003-2017)

Abstract

The Call of Duty video game franchise became a global phenomenon in the first two decades of the 21st century, marked by record-breaking sales, political controversies, and the involvement of the United States Department of Defense in its productions. In the titles set during World War II, the games consist of narratives featuring soldiers fighting on the Allied fronts against the Axis in various theaters of war, representing historical conflicts and settings in which the player acts through the protagonist—be it American or Soviet. Nevertheless, these narratives are built upon specific values that shape the player’s experience within the game context, thus potentially introducing an uncritical perspective on the roles and conduct of soldiers from different nationalities who fought in the war. Given this issue, the authors applied the concept of “experience” from historian Edward P. Thompson to examine the distinct ways American and Soviet soldiers are presented to the player in key moments of the games’ narratives. Accordingly, it was observed that the portrayal of Soviet roles is sometimes marked by brutality, and other times overshadowed or even erased in comparison to the role of Americans in the advances against the Axis. In conclusion, it is suggested that the construction of varying levels of protagonism experienced by the player can, indeed, shape this player’s perception of World War II as a historical subject.