THE “RIGHT” TYPE OF MAN: A DIGITAL ETHNOGRAPHY OF RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2

Abstract

Exploring video games with a communicative lens is a growing genre of research, one which this project aims to contribute to by examining Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption 2 with an in-depth digital ethnography. By playing through the game and capturing screenshots and video clips, this study investigated the presentation of hegemonic masculinity, whiteness, and western tropes in addition to the ways in which a player was afforded or denied agency with their character. The data clearly showed an embracing of both hegemonic masculinity and whiteness by many of the characters in the game. In addition, tropes of the western genre of entertainment such as reluctant violence and community security were present, though not challenged in any significant way. Finally, player agency varied wildly between very little and quite a lot depending on which portion of the game players were currently experiencing.