Title (eng)
How much apocalypse in the apocalypse? On the revelational aspect of apocalyptic concepts in (post-)apocalyptic games
Description (eng)
In popular fiction, "apocalypse" is typically associated with destruction, doomsday, death, or
annihilation. This notion extends to post-apocalyptic settings, which often focus on survival or
rebuilding life in a devastated world. Notable examples in games include the Fallout or Diablo
series.
However, to view the apocalypse solely as a destructive event and the subsequent survival
phase as "post-apocalyptic" is to oversimplify the concept. Originally, the term "apocalypse"
(from the Greek ἀποκάλυψις, meaning "revelation") refers to an event that reveals the true
nature of something. In religious contexts, it describes a deity revealing himself to humanity,
often leading to a transition to a new, perfect world, the process usually accompanied by
significant trials, severe battles and suffering. The apocalyptic concept thus encompasses both
destruction and revelation. However, this processual nature of the apocalyptic event, as well as
its revelatory nature, is often completely ignored in games labelled as (post-)apocalyptic.
In my paper, I will explore how (post-)apocalyptic games either embrace or overlook this
broader understanding of apocalypse, and where the revelatory nature of apocalypse takes a
more nuanced and differentiated form.
Keywords (eng)
ApocalypsePost-ApocalypseGamesRevelation
Type (eng)
Language
[eng]
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Is contained in
Title
Gaming the Apocalypse
ISBN
978-3-903470-30-9
Publication
University of Krems Press
Publication
University of Krems Press
Date issued
2025-11-14
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