Araştırma Makalesi

Transformation of the Hero’s Journey in Digital Game Narratives

Cilt: 11 Sayı: 22 31 Ekim 2026
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Transformation of the Hero’s Journey in Digital Game Narratives

Öz

Although not originally intended as a design manual, Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey (Monomyth) has been adopted by the industry as the standard blueprint for digital game stories. However, some scholars have questioned whether this model is truly universal, arguing that it contains inherent gender and cultural biases. This study investigates how the classic model has changed in three major games released between 2013 and 2020, examining these shifts through three critical lenses: Feminist, Post-colonial, and Queer theory. The study uses a qualitative method, combining a review of 19 key academic texts with textual analysis of three selected video game case studies. The findings reveal three types of transformation: reconfiguration (feminist critique), deconstruction (post-colonial critique), and adaptation (queer critique). Through case studies of the games God of War (2018), Ghost of Tsushima (2020), and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017), this paper argues that the Hero’s Journey has not been abandoned but it’s undergoing profound structural transformation. The classical Monomyth is inherently rigid and insufficient for contemporary storytelling. Consequently, modern games no longer apply it as a strict rulebook; instead, they actively subvert, deconstruct, and adapt this traditional framework to construct more inclusive and culturally complex narratives.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Kaynakça

  1. Azli, Y. S. B. M. (2022). Playing heroines: A ludonarratological analysis of the hero's journey in selected Final Fantasy games [Master's thesis, Universiti Malaya]. Universiti Malaya Students Repository.
  2. Barlog, C. (2017, June 15). 'God of War' creative director Cory Barlog on nihilism and fatherhood [Interview by P. Klepek]. Vice. https://www.vice.com/en/article/god-of-war-creative-director-cory-barlog-on-nihilism-and-fatherhood/
  3. Benesch, O. (2014). Inventing the way of the samurai: Nationalism, internationalism, and Bushidō in modern Japan. Oxford University Press.
  4. Bizzocchi, J., & Tanenbaum, J. (2011). Well read: Applying close reading techniques to gameplay experiences. In D. Davidson (Ed.), Well played 3.0: Video games, value and meaning (pp. 262–290). ETC Press.
  5. Brown, J. M. (2021). Adaptation of Japanese myth in video games: The case of Ghost of Tsushima [Master's thesis, Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University].
  6. Campbell, J. (1949). The hero with a thousand faces. Pantheon Books.
  7. Cassar, R. (2013). God of War: A narrative analysis. Eludamos: Journal for Computer Game Culture, 7(1), 81–99. https://doi.org/10.7557/23.6133
  8. Cirilla, A. G. (2020). Introduction: Zelda, mythopoeia, and the importance of developing an "inside" perspective on videogames. In A. G. Cirilla & V. E. Rone (Eds.), Mythopoeic narrative in the Legend of Zelda (pp. 1–13). Routledge.

Ayrıntılar

Birincil Dil

İngilizce

Konular

İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Bölüm

Araştırma Makalesi

Yayımlanma Tarihi

31 Ekim 2026

Gönderilme Tarihi

4 Mayıs 2026

Kabul Tarihi

18 Ekim 2026

Yayımlandığı Sayı

Yıl 2026 Cilt: 11 Sayı: 22

Kaynak Göster

APA
Kökcan, G., & Kaptan, M. (2026). Transformation of the Hero’s Journey in Digital Game Narratives. Abant Kültürel Araştırmalar Dergisi, 11(22), 148-165. https://izlik.org/JA62LK55XK
AMA
1.Kökcan G, Kaptan M. Transformation of the Hero’s Journey in Digital Game Narratives. AKAR. 2026;11(22):148-165. https://izlik.org/JA62LK55XK
Chicago
Kökcan, Gökçe, ve Merve Kaptan. 2026. “Transformation of the Hero’s Journey in Digital Game Narratives”. Abant Kültürel Araştırmalar Dergisi 11 (22): 148-65. https://izlik.org/JA62LK55XK.
EndNote
Kökcan G, Kaptan M (01 Ekim 2026) Transformation of the Hero’s Journey in Digital Game Narratives. Abant Kültürel Araştırmalar Dergisi 11 22 148–165.
IEEE
[1]G. Kökcan ve M. Kaptan, “Transformation of the Hero’s Journey in Digital Game Narratives”, AKAR, c. 11, sy 22, ss. 148–165, Eki. 2026, [çevrimiçi]. Erişim adresi: https://izlik.org/JA62LK55XK
ISNAD
Kökcan, Gökçe - Kaptan, Merve. “Transformation of the Hero’s Journey in Digital Game Narratives”. Abant Kültürel Araştırmalar Dergisi 11/22 (01 Ekim 2026): 148-165. https://izlik.org/JA62LK55XK.
JAMA
1.Kökcan G, Kaptan M. Transformation of the Hero’s Journey in Digital Game Narratives. AKAR. 2026;11:148–165.
MLA
Kökcan, Gökçe, ve Merve Kaptan. “Transformation of the Hero’s Journey in Digital Game Narratives”. Abant Kültürel Araştırmalar Dergisi, c. 11, sy 22, Ekim 2026, ss. 148-65, https://izlik.org/JA62LK55XK.
Vancouver
1.Gökçe Kökcan, Merve Kaptan. Transformation of the Hero’s Journey in Digital Game Narratives. AKAR [Internet]. 01 Ekim 2026;11(22):148-65. Erişim adresi: https://izlik.org/JA62LK55XK