From Aesthetics to Asymmetry: Contradictions of Ecological Play in Cities: Skylines

Anchored in the Anthropocene era's paradigm of human mastery over nature, Cities: Skylines grants its players extensive agency to shape untouched terrains into sprawling cities. We draw upon ecological thought-a mode of awareness that highlights the radical interconnectedness of all beings and their environments-to consider the ecological dynamics of city-building by the game's players. Analyzing player-generated paratexts from online game communities reveals that while many players aspire toward ecocentric city designs, they instead inadvertently restage the asymmetric planetary relationship emblematic of our current era. Our analysis uncovers the capital-driven assumptions that characterize human-environment relations in the game. Attempts at ecocentric aesthetics invariably subsumed by cybernetic interactions that privilege the Anthropocene's prevailing power dynamics. These expressions highlight the inherent contradictions of the Anthropocene era as encountered in Cities: Skylines and illustrate the permeability between the contemporary material world and digital play.

Automated summary

"Cities: Skylines" game allows players to shape undeveloped terrains into bustling cities, but the analysis of player-generated content reveals that despite aspiring for ecocentric designs, players inadvertently reproduce the asymmetric global relationships emblematic of the Anthropocene era. This highlights the contradictions of the current era and the permeability between the material world and digital play.