On the 23rd of October 2024, the 2nd seminar «Myth and Video Games» was held at the Faculty of Philology of the Complutense University of Madrid. It was an enriching day that brought together experts and enthusiasts to analyse the intersection between myths and the world of video games. The agenda included presentations by academic researchers who explored how myth shapes narratives in digital entertainment.
The seminar began with a welcome from José Manuel Losada, who set the stage for a fascinating day of studies on mythology and game studies.
The first talk, given by Begoña Cadiñanos and Ruth García, delved into the dilemmas of diplomacy and war in God of War: Ragnarok. They explained in detail how these mythological themes are integrated into the game’s narrative and the profound consequences for its protagonists.
Next, Frederic Torres delighted us with a journey through classical and contemporary mythologies, from the legendary creature Ifrit to the enigmatic group The Patriots. His presentation showed us how myths are reinvented in modern culture and how to approach this phenomenon within the classroom context.
Pablo Martín transported us to the Slavic world by drawing a line between the events of Chernobyl and the dark Chernobog, inviting us to explore how myth and history intertwine and come to life in video games.
After a coffee break, Tomás Grau took us to the world of Japanese animation with Toei Douga and analysed the navigation of Japanese myths between art and commerce, and the influence this studio has had on the mythological perception from Japan to the rest of the world.
This seminar concluded with a presentation by Regina Mills. The speaker shared an analysis that generated interest and reflection on the video game El Hijo: A Wild West Tale. This invited us to reconsider the typical image as a cover from the Anglo-Saxon world through the story of other marginalised people: a mother and her son of Hispanic culture.
The day ended with a question-and-answer session. The event was intense and covered various fields of study. We explored topics from different perspectives, from the propagandistic use of myth to its cultural application to give voice to the marginalised, its capacity to adapt and give meaning to reality, and its arrival to new generations through constant re-adaptations. All of this through the new medium of our era: the video game.
The event was truly magnificent, and we are eager to repeat this experience at the next 3rd seminar.
Below, we leave some images to remember this wonderful day.
Begoña Cadiñanos
Paula Paredero
