Abstract
ABSTRACT Videogames and virtual worlds that provoke dread and horror have grown in popularity throughout the twenty-first century. Based on the online games Requiem: Memento Mori and DayZ, this article shows how players relish such dread and enjoy landscapes of the monstrous and the grotesque in order to engage with and tentatively conquer inner fears and anxieties. As such, the game worlds continue the age-old work of horror—to exorcise one's inner fears and demons—but do so with the viscerality that is the hallmark of gaming. Using theoretical analysis, “textual” interpretation, and empirical data garnered through interviews and surveys, we show that Requiem and DayZ produce cathartic experiences associated with long traditions of popular and religious approaches to human fear and sin. It is this visceral engagement with the horrific and monstrous that connects the games and their environments to long-standing folk traditions in pop culture.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
