ABSTRACT
The ways players talk about their experiences of interactive digital play reflect the identity and ideological constructs of those individuals. Ideologies are the socio-cognitive interfaces between the social structures of a group and their discourses and other social practices. Many theorists explored the ways in which masculine identity—whether gender self-identification, body image, or social in-group affiliation—is constructed and reconstructed through entertainment media. The media industry or culture industry has long held great influence over the general public with its elite ability to control access to the production and distribution of mass media. The control of the culture industry shifted slightly in recent decades as technology became more accessible. The most prominent characteristics of interactive digital simulation narratives are those that align with traditional concepts of western cultural masculinity.
