Pedercini participates in Games and Politics (Spiele und Politik) at the Goethe Institute in Washington D.C., Mar 15-20.
The interactive exhibition “Games & Politics” encourages the visitor to try out sixteen significant politically-ambitious video games and examine how they each unfold their unique political potential. The political aspect of the games becomes visible to the players either directly as they make political decisions (Democracy III) or indirectly as they witness social injustices. For example, the games address precarious labor conditions (Sunset), gender issues (Perfect Woman), and the treatment of refugees (Escape from Woomera). The games lead the players into political struggles such as the revolution against a totalitarian system (Yellow Umbrella), and confront them with the surveillance state (Touchtone) and the consequences of armed conflicts (This War of Mine). Adopting the characters of often-marginalized people, players experience limited possibilities and negative sanctions through both the character and the game play.