Audience negotiations of Assassin’s Creed: Mirage

Preferred readings

• Violence is sometimes acceptable, and in fact violence is normalised through the constant representation of violence. Audiences will interpret that violence is only acceptable if it is for a good cause, for example rescuing a woman.

Negotiated readings 

• While audiences may have anti violent and pacificist ideologies, audiences will negotiate the violence in this game based on it’s fictitious status. Simply put, most audiences can separate fact from fiction
• Other audiences may agree that violence is acceptable, yet stealing is absolutely not (!)
• Other audiences may identify with the criminal protagonist, and while they would never commit crimes themselves, may in turn look upon crime more favourable 
• Further audiences may reject violent readings and playstyles, and instead explore the historically accurate setting of Baghdad 
• Middle Eastern audiences may be delighted at the representation of the middle east, even if it is somewhat stereotypical  
• While parents may disapprove of younger audiences playing such a violent game, the detailed discovery and history modes in games like Mirage and Valhalla allow very young children to enjoy and to explore these games in a completely different way. This extremely negotiated experience is only made possible through digital technology, and is only really possible for videogames