ulture site Complex has created this fun map showing where in the world video game villains come have come from over the past decade. Writer Peter Rubin explains: It’s an interesting mix: two of Bush’s “axis of evil” nations (only Iran is missing); countries with a history of Islamic terrorism (Indonesia and Afghanistan) or drug cartels (Mexico and Colombia); failed states (Somalia and Chad); and the BRIC economies—Brazil, Russia, India, and China—whose growing influence in world trade is obviously a threat to U.S. and European dominance. I’m surprised to see no Libya, no Pakistan, and no Yemen—but perhaps those fictional fights are still in development. Either way, the psychological mechanics of video game villainry provide fascinating food for thought. The popular choices have a delicate blend of familiarity and foreignness, and not only reflect current events but also gesture toward a speculative future. Whether these conventions help gamers understand the world better or just further unhelpful stereotypes is, of course, another question.
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