How Games Simulate Anthropological Concepts

The Digital Playground as a Cultural Mirror

Video games have evolved beyond mere entertainment—they now serve as intricate simulations of human societies, reflecting and reshaping our understanding of anthropological concepts. From the tribal dynamics of Civilization to the urban sprawl of SimCity, games allow players to experiment with social structures, cultural evolution, and human behavior in ways that parallel real-world anthropology. These digital worlds function as microcosms where players can observe the consequences of resource scarcity, migration, and even belief systems—all core themes in anthropological study.

Rituals, Myths, and Player-Generated Traditions

Just as anthropologists study rituals and myths to understand cultures, games embed—and sometimes inspire—their own forms of symbolic behavior. In World of Warcraft, players engage in emergent rituals, such as gathering in cities for in-game holidays or developing superstitions around loot drops. Meanwhile, games like The Elder Scrolls series construct elaborate mythologies that mimic the oral traditions studied by anthropologists. These narratives aren’t just background lore; they shape player identity and community cohesion, much like real-world cultural narratives.

Social Hierarchies and Power Structures

Multiplayer games often replicate—and sometimes subvert—real-world social hierarchies. EVE Online, for example, is infamous for its player-driven corporations, where power struggles, espionage, and economic warfare mirror historical and contemporary political systems. Even single-player games like Crusader Kings III simulate feudal dynamics, forcing players to navigate kinship, inheritance, and diplomacy. These systems don’t just entertain; they provide a sandbox for exploring how power is negotiated, maintained, and lost—an essential question in anthropology.

The Player as Ethnographer

Games also encourage players to adopt an anthropological lens. Titles like Never Alone, developed in collaboration with the Iñupiat people, or Assassin’s Creed’s historical reconstructions, immerse players in cultural contexts that demand observation and interpretation. Some games, such as Heaven’s Vault, even task players with deciphering fictional languages and artifacts, mirroring the work of archaeologists and linguists. In this way, gaming becomes an interactive form of ethnographic study, fostering cross-cultural empathy and critical thinking.

Conclusion: Games as Living Anthropological Labs

As digital worlds grow more complex, their capacity to simulate and interrogate anthropological concepts only deepens. Whether through emergent player behavior, designed narratives, or systemic mechanics, games offer a unique space to explore what it means to be human. They challenge us to consider how societies form, how traditions emerge, and how power operates—all while we wield the controller. In this sense, games are not just art or entertainment; they are dynamic, participatory anthropology in action.