| Summary/Abstract |
Scholarly study of the popular geopolitics of boardgames has lagged behind that of other ludic artefacts, such as toys and videogames. This article examines the boardgame Twilight Struggle as a premiere example of a historically-structured boardgame (HSBG). HSBGs are distinct for their tight and intentional integration of narrative, gameplay, and in-game freedoms consistent with historical events, processes, and actors. Although not requiring players to follow a pre-set script, HSBGs are structured so that their available options, incentives, and victory conditions ensure that players act in a historically accurate manner. The effect is that players re-enact or perform a version of this history, even if they are unfamiliar with it. By focusing on what HSBGs make players do, rather than the representations embedded within them, this study contributes to our understanding of the performative agency of popular geopolitical objects.
|