A man playing a racing video game Photo: TUCHONG

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In the emerging dialogue between technological advancements and popular culture, the issue of the body has once again come under the spotlight in the humanities. Philosophers have never ceased to reflect on the phenomena of the body. Don Ihde introduced the concept of the “three bodies” based on the theories of scholars such as Michel Foucault and Maurice Merleau-Ponty, contributing to understanding cultural phenomena in current online games through the lens of the body.

Material body

Ihde’s “material body” refers to the biological, tangible body. Humans interact with the external world through their nervous systems, sensory organs, and motor systems, which forms the basis for action in real environments and provide the conditions for the operation of online games. From arcade and browser games to mobile and virtual reality games, video games have always relied on physical interaction despite significant changes in their forms and game experience. The design of games themselves is closely related to the structure of the human body. Interfaces that align with human physical characteristics enable more natural human-computer interactions through bodily movements. Players use their material bodies to bridge virtual spaces and the real world, as well as game experiences and self-perception, thereby affirming their sense of existence.

A “material turn” has emerged in communication studies in recent years, with research focus shifting from semiotic and linguistic analysis to the discussion of body actions. As a key element in games, the body is no longer an appendage of the mind, and its role of “actor,” previously obscured by media technology, is now acknowledged. Although the body is redefined by technology, its autonomy is validated, marking a departure from its historically marginalized status as a peripheral object. 

Cultural body

As in the real world, online games are influenced by various disciplinary forces, including game rules, consumerism, gender discourse, and violence. The body unconsciously embodies power and reflects a variety of cultural metaphors, such as the aesthetics of violence in physical confrontation, the dual body and gender fluidity, and the consumerist landscape of body fashion.

Violence is a common element in online games, with themes such as combat, gunfights, and horror being prevalent. Violence-oriented rules are designed to attract players, while metaphorical representations serve to entice players to engage in continuous violent actions. Online games offer the conditions for freeing the body in a certain sense. Players can immerse themselves in fantasies and adventures and freely choose their gender. The deconstruction of gender symbols in online games shapes dynamic gender practices, allowing for alternative social imagination and cultural experience. Games enable not only the reproduction but also the reinvention of the body, which aims to create body images more aligned with players’ idealized preferences. The objects of human desire extend from physical substance to diverse and exquisite virtual symbols.

Technological body

Online bodily experiences are constructed through technology, with the body and technology intertwined in partial symbiosis. First, the body is embedded in the world of technology. People use virtual bodies to navigate through game spaces and engage in social interactions. The body is never truly absent; rather, it achieves what Paul Virilio termed “telepresence” via technology.

Second, technology extends the human body. When players control their game characters using the virtual body, interfaces such as computer monitors, game controllers, and keyboards become part of the body and function as “prostheses.” The body gradually grows accustomed to the feeling of being intertwined with technology and develops a series of physiological responses. Players need to train their ability to manipulate these prosthetics in order to perform well in the game.

Third, the body and technology form a dual subject. In the symbiotic relationship between body and technology, the identities of subject and object become blurred. Humans, as creators and users of technology, undoubtedly possess autonomy. However, with the deep involvement of technology, human subjectivity is constantly undermined due to their reliance on it. The subjectivity of technology lies in that it transforms the environments that humans directly experience and interact with. Human life is regulated by the logic of technology, and the body becomes a direct target of technological impact.

The binary understanding of the relationship between the body and technology is no longer in line with today’s reality. With the intervention of technology, the existence of the subject is not fixed but fluid, varying across different contexts.

Han Chuanxi (professor) and Chu Yanyan are from the College of Humanities and Communication at Dongbei University of Finance and Economics.

Edited by WANG YOURAN