Research Article

Conflict of Tradition and the Modern in Digital Video Game Narratives: The Case of Ghost of Tsushima

Number: 49 June 11, 2026
TR EN

Conflict of Tradition and the Modern in Digital Video Game Narratives: The Case of Ghost of Tsushima

Abstract

The interaction between tradition and the modern is one of the most fundamental issues in social theory. Especially the art of narrative, which has diversified with the opportunities provided by new media technologies, has not remained indifferent to this issue. Game storytelling, as a digital narrative, has emerged as a medium for portraying the interaction between tradition and the modern. At this point, the study examines the thematic conflict between tradition and the modern in Ghost of Tsushima, a digital video game. Through the thematic axes established through the dialogues and character structures in the game, it is emphasized that this conflict serves as a narrative trigger. In the study, in which the thematic analysis method was preferred, three main themes were identified under the titles “honour as a traditional value versus the modern,” “traditional ethos versus modern ethos,” and “technological development and the tradition–modern conflict.” Based on this, the study found that the game Ghost of Tsushima explores the conflict between tradition and the modern across multiple dimensions, and that there are examples where this conflict is used as a functional element in digital narratives.

Keywords

References

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  6. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
  7. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2021). Thematic analysis: A practical guide. Sage.
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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Communication Technology and Digital Media Studies

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 11, 2026

Submission Date

May 8, 2025

Acceptance Date

November 10, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Number: 49

APA
Satır, M. E., & Demir, M. (2026). Conflict of Tradition and the Modern in Digital Video Game Narratives: The Case of Ghost of Tsushima. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi, 49, 256-272. https://doi.org/10.17829/turcom.1695068
AMA
1.Satır ME, Demir M. Conflict of Tradition and the Modern in Digital Video Game Narratives: The Case of Ghost of Tsushima. TURCOM. 2026;(49):256-272. doi:10.17829/turcom.1695068
Chicago
Satır, Mehmet Emin, and Mert Demir. 2026. “Conflict of Tradition and the Modern in Digital Video Game Narratives: The Case of Ghost of Tsushima”. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi, nos. 49: 256-72. https://doi.org/10.17829/turcom.1695068.
EndNote
Satır ME, Demir M (June 1, 2026) Conflict of Tradition and the Modern in Digital Video Game Narratives: The Case of Ghost of Tsushima. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi 49 256–272.
IEEE
[1]M. E. Satır and M. Demir, “Conflict of Tradition and the Modern in Digital Video Game Narratives: The Case of Ghost of Tsushima”, TURCOM, no. 49, pp. 256–272, June 2026, doi: 10.17829/turcom.1695068.
ISNAD
Satır, Mehmet Emin - Demir, Mert. “Conflict of Tradition and the Modern in Digital Video Game Narratives: The Case of Ghost of Tsushima”. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi. 49 (June 1, 2026): 256-272. https://doi.org/10.17829/turcom.1695068.
JAMA
1.Satır ME, Demir M. Conflict of Tradition and the Modern in Digital Video Game Narratives: The Case of Ghost of Tsushima. TURCOM. 2026;:256–272.
MLA
Satır, Mehmet Emin, and Mert Demir. “Conflict of Tradition and the Modern in Digital Video Game Narratives: The Case of Ghost of Tsushima”. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi, no. 49, June 2026, pp. 256-72, doi:10.17829/turcom.1695068.
Vancouver
1.Mehmet Emin Satır, Mert Demir. Conflict of Tradition and the Modern in Digital Video Game Narratives: The Case of Ghost of Tsushima. TURCOM. 2026 Jun. 1;(49):256-72. doi:10.17829/turcom.1695068

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