Rockstar Games and American History: Promotional Materials and the Construction of Authenticity

Rockstar Games have been making games that interrogate and represent the idea of America for two decades, combining analysis of their games and official communications to create a new kind of video game history. This book explores how promotional materials work to claim the authenticity of these products and assert the authority of game developers to perform the role of historian. It implores those who research historical video games to consider the oft-forgotten sources at the margins of these games as important spaces where historical meaning is made and negotiated.

Format: Hardback
Length: 278 pages
Publication date: 22 August 2022
Publisher: De Gruyter

For over two decades,Rockstar Games has been creating video games that delve into and portray the concept of America, spanning both its past and present. These franchises have achieved commercial success, garnered immense fan adoration, and frequently attracted media attention. Rockstar's games are not only seen as game-changing and groundbreaking interventions in the gaming industry but also as critical, cultural histories of America and its excesses.

However, it is crucial to examine the portrayal of American history in Rockstar's games and how it is conveyed through critically acclaimed titles like "Red Dead Redemption" (2010) and "L.A. Noire" (2011). By combining a comprehensive analysis of Rockstar's games with a range of official communications and promotional materials, this book aims to provide a critical discussion of Rockstar as a company, their video games, and ultimately, their attempts at creating new narratives about U.S. history and culture.

The book explores the ways in which Rockstar's brand identity and their titles coalesce to create a distinct form of video game history. It delves into the promotional materials employed to claim the authenticity of these products and assert the authority of game developers as historians. By intersecting historical game studies, U.S. history, and film and media studies, the book examines what transpires when contemporary demands for historical authenticity are applied to our understanding of the past. It raises questions about whose past is deemed worthy of representation and exploration in these games.

Ultimately, this book implores researchers and enthusiasts of historical video games to consider the often overlooked sources and spaces at the margins of these games as vital areas where historical meaning is made and negotiated. By recognizing the significance of these marginalized voices and narratives, we can gain a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the past and its impact on our present.

In conclusion, Rockstar Games has played a significant role in shaping our perception of American history through their critically acclaimed titles. By examining the ways in which they portray the past, communicate historical narratives, and assert their authority
authority as historians, this book offers valuable insights into the complex relationship between video games, history, and culture. It encourages us to consider the broader the role of marginalized voices and narratives in shaping our understanding of the past and the potential for games to serve as powerful tools for historical exploration and understanding.

Weight: 602g
Dimension: 164 x 241 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783110716467