Video Games and Neuroatypicality: Questioning Political Conceptions of Normality

This presentation explores the political dimensions of neuroatypicality in video games, focusing on how games reflect and challenge dominant power structures surrounding mental health, normality, and diverse ways of thinking, communicating, and perceiving the world. This communication also examines how video game narratives, representations, and gameplay mechanics contribute to political discourses that often stigmatize neuroatypical individuals by reinforcing medical and pathological conceptions of normality (Foucault, 1972).
Using a framework informed by neurodiversity paradigms, this analysis categorizes games into three groups: therapeutic games, awareness-focused games, and representation-focused games. Therapeutic games, such as Skills for Autism (Skills Global LLC., n.d.), align with the medical model of disability, framing autism as a condition to be corrected (WHO, 1980). Awareness-focused games, like Auti-Sim (Kadayifcioglu, 2013), foster empathy by simulating sensory and social challenges, though they risk reinforcing deficit-oriented narratives (Buday et al., 2022). Representation-focused games, such as Watch Dogs 2 (Ubisoft, 2016), challenge stereotypes by embedding neuroatypical traits as natural variations of human cognition, as exemplified by the nuanced portrayal of characters like Josh and Symmetra in Overwatch 2 (Blizzard Entertainment, 2022).
By positioning video games as social laboratories (Craipeau, 2009), this talk also explore how interactive media enable players to engage with alternative cognitive perspectives, challenging societal norms and fostering inclusive counter-discourses. For instance, the portrayal of Symmetra in Overwatch 2 reframes autism as a strength, integrating neurodiversity into gameplay mechanics and narrative design. Such representations not only open new spaces for understanding cognitive diversity but also question entrenched political frameworks surrounding normality.
Ultimately, this presentation considers whether video games truly have the potential to disrupt dominant societal norms or if they merely reflect the prevailing discourses of their time. By analyzing the interplay of narrative, representation, and interactivity, this talk highlights the dual role of video games as tools that both reinforce and subvert societal perceptions of neurodiversity (Ferrari et al., 2019).