2023 Video Games Reflect Global Anxiety Through Escapism and Ecofiction

The year 2023 saw major video games like Baldur's Gate 3, Starfield, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom offering players expansive freedom as a form of escape from contemporary crises. Writer Kyle Chayka described the era as 'The Time Before Things Got Really Bad,' capturing a pervasive sense of impending doom. Baldur's Gate 3, a Dungeons & Dragons adaptation, emphasized identity and choice, while Starfield promised vast exploration across 1,700 AI-generated planets. Tears of the Kingdom expanded its open world with building mechanics but also depicted environmental decay through 'gloom' and climate disruptions, reflecting real-world anxieties. Other titles like Season: A Letter to the Future, Tchia, Jusant, and Final Fantasy XVI engaged with ecological themes, with Dave the Diver blending underwater exploration with commentary on overwork and sustainable fishing. Despite critical and commercial success, the industry faced severe layoffs, with over 8,000 jobs lost at companies including Electronic Arts, Unity, and Epic Games. Embracer Group cut 900 positions after a failed $2 billion deal with Saudi-backed Savvy Games, highlighting economic dysfunction. Games like Alan Wake 2 and Humanity mirrored the chaos through surreal narratives, with Humanity posing questions about collective direction. Frank Lantz's book 'The Beauty of Games' was published in 2023, contrasting the industry's creative joy with its harsh realities.