Bad news for Tom Nook.
In it she argues that games are deeply rooted in Anglo-American and European imperialism.
But work is also inherent in filling a skill tree, or a progress bar.
Freedom is an important anti-capitalist notion in association with games.
The one game that’s come up a lot last year in reference to freedom is Shedworks' Sable.
Sable isn’t a hero, which means no one depends on her progress.
The world will keep turning if she decides to take it easy.
Taking it easy isn’t in the capitalism playbook.
“You’re also free to ignore certain requests.
But diversity, or even just the attempt at something new, can make our medium richer.
To that end, it may be possible to soften certain capitalist concepts without erasing them altogether.
In Signs of the Sojourner, a caravan bridges the gap between different communities, delivering and trading wares.
A natural disaster further complicates the caravan’s efforts.
“We were intentionally vague about how a lot of the transactions are happening.
You’re probably bringing home staples along with weird snack foods that we just never mention.”
It all feels very much like bartering.
That for me is the crux of what it comes down to - design reflects intent.
But the examples are there.
