Virtual Suffering and Awakening of Subjectivity: A Biopolitical Analysis of Black Myth: Wukong

Abstract

Video games prioritize “fun” and “immersion”, yet suffering can disrupt play. Using phenomenology of emotion, this study examines Black Myth: Wukong as a case where suffering is integral to gameplay and narrative. It argues that suffering awakens player subjectivity, enabling resistance to algorithmic and biopolitical constraints. As mass art, video games harness suffering’s affective power to transform players from passive participants to active agents, revealing their potential for resistance.