People and Capitalism

Video games are essentially entertainment media that are usually designed to make money. Interestingly, they are also a powerful way to look at what agency we have (or don't have) in our lives dominated by a capitalistic imperative.

Unlike books or films that critique the status quo of our world by giving a glimpse into aspects of our world that are hard to see, video games offer the chance to step into those situations and experience them first-hand. This is not only a powerful way to ask questions about the world but a way to do this in an embodied and felt experience.

The games in this list hold up an aspect of capitalism or consumerism and ask whether things should be like this. They let you experience what it's like to be a person under different circumstances in a world where capitalism dominates. Sometimes this is tongue in cheek and simply part of the world in which you play in. But other times it's the central premise of the game that intends to leave the player asking new questions about how we structure our lives, families, friendships and commerce.

This list includes 13 games from the last 26 years, with 97 likes. They come from a range of different genres and play-styles and are all good games if you want to question capitlaism.