Playing to Lose?

In this thesis the author sets out to establish how WWII video games represent Wehrmacht soldiers when these games feature the German side as a playable faction. Because German soldiers in WWII video games are still often relegated to the role of ‘evil cannon fodder’ it is important to look at how games represent the Wehrmacht when they feature protagonists who are members of the Wehrmacht. By looking at the playable German narratives of Red Orchestra II – Heroes of Stalingrad (2011) and Company of Heroes – Opposing Fronts/Tales of Valor (2007/2009) using concepts from narratology and game studies several representative strategies emerge. The games are analysed on focalisation of the narrative, their use of historical sources, archival footage, propaganda and myths, and on the conditions set in-game which allow the German side to win a video game set in WWII. In looking at the focalisation of both German narratives it becomes apparent that focalisation does not always equate the point of view of the playable characters. Historical inaccuracies are compensated by presenting the narrative through use of propaganda and unreliable narrators. Elements of the ‘clean Wehrmacht myth’ as formulated by Alexander Pollak appear in both narratives but often work to counteract this myth. By studying the use of propaganda and symbols it becomes clear that accurate historical representation of Wehrmacht soldiers in video games suffers due to censorship laws concerning the use of National-Socialist symbols in the medium. Both games place a heavy emphasis on the psychological impact of the War on German soldiers, either through the use of embedded historical texts or through fictional personal narratives. By examining the games’ victory conditions the author establishes two victory paradigms applicable to a playable Wehrmacht, called: ‘quitting while you’re ahead’ and ‘postponing the inevitable’. The author concludes that, in representing the Wehrmacht in video games, game developers seem to prioritise psychological immersion over historical fidelity, although both games utilise historical source material throughout their respective narratives.