Invitation to Contribute to a New Video Game Essay Journal

Endgame marks the debut of a new essay journal dedicated to the exploration of video games, set to launch in 2024. This publication aims to delve into the intersection of video games with the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and technical-media practices.

In virtually every gaming experience, players inevitably encounter the pivotal moment of ‘game over’, which can be either a defeat or a victory. This moment offers players a meaningful choice: to end the game and return to the real world, or to keep immersing themselves in the digital universe. Regardless of the path chosen, one truth remains constant: akin to the impossibility of stepping into the same river twice, each gaming session is a unique journey, never to be replicated in its entirety. Turning off the screen does not mark an end, but rather a transition, as we re-enter reality carrying fresh insights and perspectives. Endgame magazine is a dedicated space for the articulation and sharing of these revelations.

We are open to essays on video games of any title, period, genre, or specific in-game phenomena. Additionally, each issue will feature a distinct thematic section. In our first issue, this section will focus on the theme of ‘post-apocalypse.

We are accepting submissions and inquiries for our inaugural issue at revijakonecigre@gmail.com until March 31, 2024.

Your contributions are eagerly awaited, and we look forward to adding your voice to our magazine!

Editorial Board

VIDEOGAMES AND THE POST-APOCALYPSE NARRATIVE

From the 20th century onward, a peculiar intrigue with the world’s end and the ensuing aftermath has permeated contemporary culture. Ancient tales, from the Epic of Gilgamesh to the biblical accounts of the great flood and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, have long suggested the possibility of life persisting post-apocalypse. This notion evolved in 20th-century pop culture, shifting focus from spiritual causes of world’s end to more tangible threats like alien invasions, environmental catastrophes, or rogue artificial intelligence. This shift mirrors our collective anxiety about existential threats, which seem more imminent now than ever before.

Videogames have adeptly embraced the post-apocalyptic theme, particularly in North America, where the portrayal of post-apocalyptic desolation mirrors the lawlessness and arid landscape of the Wild West.

Exploring post-apocalyptic games reveals a fascinating blend of global catastrophe with personal narratives. In Fallout, amidst a backdrop of nuclear devastation, players delve into deeply personal quests involving intimate and familial conflicts. The Last of Us presents a fungal pandemic wiping out humanity, combining elements of body horror and ecological surrealism, but the core story centers on the evolving relationship between Ellie and Joel. Similarly, in Umurangi Generation, the initial focus on photographing colossal monsters gives way to capturing the stories of people encountered on the streets.

Post-apocalyptic games thus become canvases for contemplating human nature, the ethics of survival, and the re-emergence of humanity in a world shattered by disaster. Players grapple with morality, despair, and hope in environments where each choice resonates through the void of a fallen world. These games also reflect on our dreams for the future, reconstructed from the remnants of the past.

The theme of post-apocalypse, embodying both endings and new beginnings, could not be more fitting for the inaugural issue of Endgame. We invite you to explore video games in this context, encouraging humanistic, philosophical, architectural, and naturalistic perspectives (noting that nature often outlives humanity in apocalypse). We also eagerly anticipate comparative analyses with other media.

For those interested in contributing to our first issue we welcome your submissions at revijakonecigre@gmail.com until 31 March 2024.

Photo essays comprising 6-8 images or screenshots are welcome.

Interviews are also accepted. Please consult with the editorial team in advance regarding the appropriateness of your proposed interview subject for our magazine.

Essays should ideally span 8,000-20,000 characters, spaces included. However, we are open to considering essays of shorter or longer lengths.

Assume an intelligent reader who is not necessarily an expert in your field. Strive for an essay or critique format rather than a review style. We encourage experimental approaches as well.

Our magazine’s conceptual framework embraces contributors with diverse ideological and aesthetic perspectives.

We welcome submissions in Slovenian, English, and Croatian. Submissions in English and Croatian will be edited, proofread, and published online. For inclusion in the print journal, these pieces will also undergo full translation into Slovenian language.

Contributions for the initial issue will not receive monetary compensation. However, we intend to provide payment for submissions in subsequent issues as soon as it becomes feasible.

Please let us know if you have any questions.