NWO Veni project studies Western games' adaptation to Chinese worldviews

The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has awarded a Veni grant to Lars de Wildt, to fund his project 'Reorienting global gaming: how Western games adapt to Chinese worldviews.'

Videogames spread mostly Western worldviews. Because games are so expensive to make, they often stick to tried-and-true formulas. But to appeal to China as a growing market, games must be adapted to Chinese consumers and the strict regulations of their state. But how do they prevent alienating their international audience? So far, game developers have made separate versions of their games for Chinese audiences, which is even more expensive. It is likely that developers are increasingly adapting their games to Chinese worldviews from the start. By studying this process of adaptation, researchers learn how China is re-shaping global media culture.

The Veni grants are designed for outstanding researchers who have recently gained a PhD. NWO selects researchers based on the academic quality and the innovative character of the research proposal, the scientific and/or societal impact of the proposed project, and the quality of the researcher. The Veni grants, together with the Vidi and Vici grants, are part of the NWO Talent Programme. In total, the NWO has provided Veni funding to 174 researchers nationwide, of which ten at the University of Groningen.