Abstract

Freedom and Oppression are not simple opposites, they form a dialectical relationship in which, as concepts, one cannot exist without the other. Sometimes, they can even enable, emphasize and strengthen each other: just as freedom begins to shine once it contrasts against oppressive forces, oppression becomes the most effective when it gives a certain amount of leeway to the oppressed. This intricate connection between Freedom and Oppression often shapes political systems, social environments, and personal relationships; but it is also at the heart of matters of Games & Play, which rely heavily on the interplay between artificial constraints and the desire to gain a liberating sense of agency within them. Can a better understanding of Games & Play heighten our understanding of oppressive forces and liberation efforts in real life? Is the act of playing (and creating) games a reflection or even reinforcement of oppressions and freedoms that exist outside the game world? Can Games & Play themselves become liberating forces, or even tools of oppression? And what promises of freedom, what mechanisms of oppression exist in the world of games and gaming? The 16th Vienna Games Conference “FROG - Future and Reality of Gaming” 2022 has aimed to address these and other related questions. This volume presents 24 contributions to the conference, which strive to enlighten the complex relations between Freedom and Oppression, Games and Play.