Divergent Design

This interdisciplinary research project investigates how divergent design choices in video games could have the potential to influence player thinking and challenge oppressive societal systems. Through play, including play in video game simulations, we shape our cultural norms and societal structures (Huizinga, 1955). Baudrillard’s (1994) theories of simulacra and the hyperreal demonstrate how designed media experiences reflect, distort, and ultimately influence societies. Grounded in systems thinking (Meadows, 2008) and Creative Game Studies (Ruffino, 2018; Chess, 2020), this research explores the connections between virtual and real-world systems through an intersectional feminist lens. Using gender representation in character design as an example of a divergent design choice in video game media, the study highlights opportunities for research in digital ethnography and digital sociology to analyze the impact of design decisions on societal structures. The project treats video games as both cultural simulations and pedagogical spaces for questioning patriarchal systems. Drawing from literature on cognitive effects in games—such as creativity, problem-solving, flow, and learning—it positions video games as immersive media uniquely suited for generating player investment and reflective engagement, beyond the passive consumption of traditional media. A pair of case studies includes game titles Satisfactory and Outer Wilds, representing divergent design choices that counter gender norms. These titles serve as sites of inquiry for understanding the connections between divergent video game design choices and experiences that invite player reflection on social systems. These game systems function as experiential learning environments, fostering player metacognition and ethical reasoning. The project explores how informal, incidental learning emerges when players engage with transgressive designs that disrupt social norms. This work bridges disciplines in critical game studies and learning sciences and encourages instilling ethical design principles in game designers of the future. It proposes prospective research pathways using methodologies from mass media studies to further examine the potential implications of game design choices.