Geographical aspects of open-world video games

Geographical Aspects of Open-World Video Games Pablo Fraile-Jurado Abstract In recent years, open-world environments in video games have become increasingly popular and immersive. Millions of players are able to explore virtual landscapes that resemble the real world, yet significant differences exist. This study investigates the geographical accuracy of 15 open-world video games. The virtual landscapes in these games were analyzed for horizontal distance compression, increased slopes, idealized climate, simplified vegetation and water features, underpopulation, and spatial segregation of ethnic minorities. The findings show significant differences between the games in terms of their geographical accuracy, with some exhibiting a more realistic representation of the natural and cultural environment compared to others. This study sheds light on the relationship between virtual landscapes in video games and our perception of the real world, offering new insights into this rapidly growing field. Keywords video games, landscape, open world, geography, relief Introduction Video games have become an increasingly important aspect of modern society, both in terms of entertainment and economic impact. According to a recent report by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the global video game market was valued at $159 billion USD in 2020 and is expected to continue expanding. Adolescents, in particular, spend a significant amount of their leisure time playing Departamento de Geografía Física y A.G.R. Universidad de Sevilla, Seville, Spain Corresponding Author: Pablo Fraile-Jurado, Departamento de Geografía Física y A.G.R. Universidad de Sevilla, C/ María de Padilla s/n, 41004, Seville, Spain. Email: [email protected] Article Games and Culture 1–25 © The Author(s) 2023 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/15554120231178871 journals.sagepub.com/home/gac video games, with studies estimating an average of 6–9 h per week spent playing (Gentile 2011), which is more than the time spent on other leisure activities such as watching TV or socializing with friends. Studies have shown that young people today are spending less time outdoors compared to previous generations (Pergams & Zaradic, 2008,Gray, 2011). Schwarzfische et al. (2020) found that children spend more time watching screens than playing outside, especially in low and middle-income families, while Seguin et al. (2021) linked excessive screen time to parental stress. This change in behavior raises concerns about a lack of connection with nature and a potentially limited understanding of the physical world. Furthermore, a significant portion of young people’s knowledge about different landscapes may come from playing video games, which may not necessarily be an accurate representation of reality. Open-world video games offer the most complex representation of the real world in the entertainment industry. An open-world video game is a type of video game where the player is free to explore a virtual world and engage with various activities without linear restrictions, allowing for nonlinear gameplay and greater player autonomy in a virtual environment that resembles the real world (Juul, 2011). However, it is important to note that open-world video games may not always be an accurate representation of reality. Many open-world games feature fictional elements or locations that are not based on real-world counterparts, and even in games set in real locations, there may be significant differences between the virtual world and actual location (Denham & Spokes, 2021). These differences may not be immediately recognizable to players, especially those with limited experience in the outdoors (Salen & Zimmerman, 2005). While the representation of the world in video games has improved over the years, it is worth noting that limitations in computational power can still impact the level of detail and accuracy that can be achieved. In some cases, developers may have to simplify or even sacrifice geographical accuracy to ensure the game runs smoothly on various hardware configurations. This is particularly true in open-world games, where the size of the game world can be a limiting factor. Despite these limitations, this study provides a comprehensive evaluation of the geographical accuracy of open-world video games, offering valuable insights into the current state of the industry. New technologies, from images generated by artificial intelligence to new worlds developed in video games, have altered the spatial consciousness of the viewer (Ash, 2009). Defining the relationship between these perceived new worlds and reality is a task for many disciplines, including geography, especially when certain boundaries are sometimes unclear (Feldman, 2018). Geography has traditionally focused on describing and comprehending physical and human features of the world. The rise of open-world video games highlights the need for geography to describe and analyze virtual environments, as many individuals spend significant time interacting with them. Few studies have addressed this topic, making it crucial for geography to rigorously describe and understand these virtual environments and distinguish between real and fictional landscapes in the games, which might be partly due to the fact that the scientific perspective of analyzing video game landscapes is unusual for most geography journals. 2Games and Culture 0(0) Previous research in video games has mainly focused on the general geographic aspects rather than specifically analyzing the representation of territorial elements such as terrain, water, climate, and population. Only a few studies, such as Ash and Gallacher (2011) and Dubois et al. (2021), have explored the representation of tourist elements and player expectations related to the destinations in video games. However, this field of research is not well developed in academic studies. Research on the realism of video games set in different historical eras has been conducted by several authors (Shaw, 2015,Michael, 2021,Mukherjee, 2017,Ramos, 2018,Neumann, 2019,Testi, 2020), but these studies tend to focus more on historical events and characters rather than on the landscape aspect. The study of open-world video games is often approached from an educational perspective (Egenfeldt-Nielsen, 2006). In both secondary education and universities, many authors have recognized the teaching potential of video games set in different historical periods (Otaño & Mendaza, 2018,Guerra Antequera & Sanz Ramos, 2017,Gilbert, 2019) and emphasized the importance of highlighting historical inaccuracies, which are also equivalent to geographical inaccuracies in the present study. The study of Scarlett (2015) aimed to examine the geographical elements in the sandbox video game Minecraft from an educational perspective. Nevertheless, it did not delve into the analysis of territorial elements, which is the main focus of the current study. Several authors have highlighted the issue of ethnic spatial segregation in video games, with the Grand Theft Auto series being a significant source of violent exposure for players, particularly minors, as warned by DeVane & Squire (2008),Polasek (2014),Coyne & Stockdale (2021),Barret (2006),andTeng et al. (2011). However, other violent games receive little academic attention with few exceptions such as the works by Patterson (2016),Sloan (2015),andWills (2018) focused on Far Cry saga and other studies. Objectives The analysis of virtual landscapes in open-world video games is crucial for geography as it enables the study of a significant aspect of contemporary human–environment interaction, given that millions of people engage with these landscapes on a daily basis, representing for many their primary relationship with the natural environment. Therefore, the objectives of this paper are to: (1) analyze the virtual landscapes in open-world video games and compare them to real-world landscapes and (2) evaluate the accuracy of the geographical representation in 15 video games and determine the most scientifically accurate representation of reality. Methodology The analysis of the representation of territory in open-world video games was the first of the objectives of this study. For this purpose, a selection of 15 commercially successful console games with diverse locations and historical settings was made. Fraile-Jurado 3 The maps of these games were explored in-depth through gameplay, and a literature review was conducted to gather information from various sources, including scientific journals, specialized magazines, podcasts, and YouTube videos. Through this methodology, the virtual landscapes of each game were compared to real-world landscapes to find the main characteristics of virtual world environments, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the geographical accuracy of these virtual environments. To accomplish the second objective of this study, a panel of experts evaluated videos and images from each of the 15 selected games to determine the accuracy of their geographical representation. The panel consisted of eight experts covering a wide range of topics, including Geography, Geology, Environmental Science, Economics, Demography, and Video Games, which allowed for an objective assessment of the selected variables in each video game. Nine variables were selected for evaluation, including map size, speed of transit, relief, climate, water, vegetation, population density, population distribution, and land use. Descriptive photographs and videos of each video game were provided to each expert, who individually rated the variables on a Likert scale (Joshi et al., 2015) after a preparatory meeting was held to unify the evaluation criteria. To create a relative index, the scores for each variable were assigned based on the game with the most accurate representation of reality receiving a score of 5 and the game with the least accurate receiving a score of 1 (Table 1). To calculate the mean of each variable assessment for each game, the highest and lowest value provided by the expert panel were discarded, and the average of the remaining values was used, rounded to the nearest whole number. The final scores for each game were calculated as the average of the variables without weighting, and the results were presented in the form of radar charts. It is worth noting that video games set exclusively in urban environments were evaluated separately as they could not be assigned values for environmental variables. Data Due to the vast number of video games that could be considered for analysis, a sample of 15 open-world games was selected for this study (Table 2). These games were played on a PlayStation 4 (PS4) console and were selected based on their diverse representation of real and fictional locations. The choice of using the PS4 as the platform for this study was motivated by its accessibility and affordability, as the research was carried out without specific funding. It should be noted that the choice of this platform was not based on any inherent advantage or disadvantage over other gaming platforms. The 15 games analyzed were considered AAA, meaning they had high production values and large development budgets. The criteria for choosing the games included not only their high popularity but also the diversity of landscapes, including urban, rural, and natural areas, as well as their belonging to different biomes such as taiga, Mediterranean, tropical forest, jungle, or desert. Due to the limitations of the study, some highly popular games were excluded. The 15 games were: 4Games and Culture 0(0) Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (ACOd) is set in ancient Greece and features a highly detailed and diverse landscape. The game’s world is designed to closely resemble the real-world geography of ancient Greece and the Aegean Sea, including famous landmarks such as the Parthenon in Athens and the island of Delos. Assassin’s Creed Origins (ACOr) is set in ancient Egypt and features a highly detailed and realistic world, including famous landmarks such as the Sphinx, the pyramids of Giza, and the city of Memphis. Far Cry 5 (FC5) takes place in the fictional Hope County, Montana and features a diverse range of landscapes that bear resemblance to the real-life topography of Montana. Far Cry Primal (FCP) is set in the prehistoric era and features a rich and detailed landscape inspired by prehistoric regions of Europe and Central Asia. Grand Theft Auto V (GTAV) is set in the fictional state of San Andreas, which is modeled after California and Nevada. The game features a wide range of landscapes, including urban areas, beaches, mountains, and deserts. Table 1. Criteria for Assigning Values to Each Item on the Likert Scale for the Nine Variables. Variables Criteria for 1 Criteria for 5 V1: Map size Small, limited exploration area Large, extensive exploration area V2: Transit speed Fast, limited detail, walking exploration Slow, high level of detail, car or fast vehicles exploration V3: Realism of terrain Inaccurate, unrealistic features, polygonal shapes Accurate, consistent with surroundings, depiction of sediment strata, deposits at mountain basins V4: Verisimilitude of climate Unrealistic transitions, limited weather types Smooth transitions, diverse weather types, existence of seasons as time passes V5: Verisimilitude of waters Unrealistic currents, poor wave representation Realistic currents in valley bottoms, detailed wave representation V6: Realism of vegetation Inaccurate individual plant representation, unrealistic distribution Precise depiction of individual plant representation, realistic distribution of herbs, shrubs, and trees, high diversity V7: Realism of population density Unrealistically low population density Plausible population density V8: Realism of population distribution Unbalanced, extreme segregation of ethnicities and social classes by neighborhoods Balanced, realistic distribution V9: Realism of land use Extreme rural–urban transition, limited residential areas Soft rural–urban transition, significant residential areas Fraile-Jurado 5 Kingdom Come Deliverance (KCD) is set in medieval Bohemia and features a landscape based on real-world locations and historical architecture. Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2) features a highly detailed and diverse landscape, which closely resembles real-world geographic features of the Western and Southern United States. Rider Republic (RR) is set in national parks and landmarks such as Yosemite, Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Grand Teton. The game allows players to explore these iconic landscapes and participate in a variety of outdoor activities. The Crew (TC) is set in the United States and features a vast, open-world map that allows players to drive across different regions of the country, including cities, rural areas, and natural landscapes such as deserts, forests, and mountains. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (SKY) is set in the fantasy land of Tamriel and features a highly detailed and diverse taiga and tundra mountainous landscape with medieval towns. Watch Dogs 2 (W2) is set in a fictionalized version of San Francisco, California and features a realistic representation of the city, including recognizable landmarks. Spiderman (SPI) takes place in a fictionalized version of New York City and features a vast and detailed recreation of the city, with recognizable landmarks such as the Empire State Building and Central Park. Table 2. Analyzed Video Games, Release Date, PS4 Version Date, and Developer Company. Released date PS4 version Developer Assassin’s Creed Odyssey 2018 2018 Ubisoft Assassin’s Creed Origins 2017 2017 Ubisoft Far Cry 5 2018 2018 Ubisoft Far Cry Primal 2016 2016 Ubisoft Grand Theft Auto V 2013 2014 Rockstar Games Kingdom Come Deliverance 2018 2018 Warhorse Studios Red Dead Redemption 2 2018 2018 Rockstar Games Riders Republic 2021 2021 Ubisoft The Crew 2014 2014 Ivory Tower/Ubisoft The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim 2011 2016 Bethesda Watch Dogs 2 2016 2016 Ubisoft Spiderman 2018 2018 Insomiac Game/Sony Interactive Sleeping Dogs 2012 2017 Square Enix Yakuza 6 2016 2016 Sega Ghost of Tsushima 2020 2020 Sucker Punch Productions/Sony Interactive Death Stranding 2019 2019 Kojima Productions/ Sony Interactive 6Games and Culture 0(0) Sleeping Dogs (SD) is set in Hong Kong and features a highly detailed representation of Hong Kong’s urban landscapes. Yakuza 6 (Y6) is set in Kamurocho, a fictional district based on Tokyo’s red-light district of Kabukicho, and features a highly realistic depiction of Kamurocho’s urban landscape. Ghost of Tsushima (GoT) is set on the island of Tsushima during the first Mongol invasion of Japan and features a highly detailed and diverse representation of the island’s landscapes. Death Stranding (DS) is set in a post-apocalyptic world and features a highly diverse representation of the game world’s landscapes, including mountains, deserts, and cities. Results Characterization of Video Game Landscapes Eight main geographical characteristics were found and are subsequently detailed: 1. Selective horizontal scaling reduction. Selective horizontal scaling reduction is a common feature among all the analyzed video games, which tend to represent much larger territories using relatively small areas, typically around tens of square kilometers. This phenomenon can be quantified in video games that aim to accurately depict existing real-world locations (Figure 1). However, this scaling reduction is also present in the other analyzed games. For instance, in RDR2, the distance in the landscape between distant territories (from Louisiana to the deserts of the Western United States) is limited to less than 15 kilometers in-game, taking approximately 25 min to travel on horseback. Additionally, this feature is consistent in terms of horizontal scale but not vertical scale. Although data is scarce, the relief in the games appears to maintain a rigorous scale. The combination of reduced horizontal scale and maintained vertical scale results in a more abrupt relief in the games than in reality, as discussed later in this section. Moreover, the representation is selective, focusing on the most visually striking elements and those that facilitate gameplay at the expense of less interesting territories. For instance, TC allows the player to travel from the East Coast of the US (New York, Washington, Miami) to the Rocky Mountains (Canyonlands, Salt Lake City) without crossing the vast plains of the Midwest. To improve the section’s coherence, further expansion of the description of selective horizontal scaling reduction is recommended. In ACOr and ACOd, cities are portrayed as occupying a smaller area than they did during the historical periods they represent. This scaling down is particularly evident in the reduced distances between cities, which allows players to traverse long distances quickly. For instance, it is possible to travel from Sparta to Athens on horseback in less than 15 min. This phenomenon is likely due to the need to prioritize gameplay over geographical accuracy, as vast, homogenous areas such as residential neighborhoods would make the game tedious. Fraile-Jurado 7 Similarly, video games that exclusively depict urban environments, such as SPI, SD, and W2, prioritize the representation of recognizable landmarks and elements that characterize the city. For instance, the New York City of SPI features iconic structures like the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and Lincoln Library. However, the quantity of buildings, particularly residential ones, between these landmarks is substantially reduced compared to reality. This reduction is likely motivated by gameplay considerations, as a more accurate representation of the city would entail rendering vast, homogenous areas that may not be compelling for players to explore. 2. Vertical scale. In open world games, the terrain is an essential element that serves two main functions. The first is to act as boundaries for the open world itself. One of the main challenges in designing an open world game is how to set limits to a world that the player perceives as open despite being spatially limited. In some cases, this is solved with an invisible barrier that prevents the player from moving outside the map, sometimes indicated with a warning on the screen (e.g., SPI). However, it is very common for games that include mountainous elements to include steep terrain that impedes passage, thus camouflaging the game’s outer boundary and integrating it into the landscape. This phenomenon can be observed in games such as RDR2 (Figure 2), etc. The study found that the terrain in open-world video games often serves as a barrier, limiting the player’s movements. This can be seen in games like RDR2 where players must go through canyons, or in games like SKY where the terrain forces players to take Figure 1. Evidences of horizontal scaling reduction in SPI (views of Empire State Building from Chrysler Building), ACOd (views of Athens), and a section of the map of RR, where boundaries between Canyonlands and Sequoia National Parks can be observed. 8Games and Culture 0(0) a certain path to reach their destination. It is important to note that the use of terrain as a game design element does not always prioritize spatial accuracy. In many cases, game developers prioritize gameplay over spatial realism when designing the terrain. For instance, game designers may intentionally create barriers to guide players toward specific areas or force them to take a certain path to achieve game objectives. In other cases, developers may use the terrain to create interesting and challenging encounters with enemies or discoveries. This approach to terrain design can enhance the player experience by adding an element of surprise and challenge, but it can also result in a less realistic representation of the game world. Figure 2. Vertical limits in the map or RDR2. Figure 3. Vertical limits in GoT. Fraile-Jurado 9 structures are significantly more prevalent in the games than they are in real life. For example, in GTAV, which is set in the United States, the proportion of urban land uses is much higher than the actual proportion of urban land in the country. Natural land uses are the most common in the games, however, there is a distinct underrepresentation of agricultural land uses. This is particularly striking in games such as SKY and GTAV, where agricultural activities are almost entirely absent, providing a false impression of the actual distribution of land uses. However, not all games were found to have such skewed representations of land uses. For example, Assassin’s Creed, which takes place in various historical settings, shows a slightly more realistic approach to land use distribution. In the game, farms and agricultural uses are common around cities and towns. However, there is still a lack of balance in the representation, as large cities such as Athens have a similar number of farms and fields as smaller towns. It is worth noting that the proportion of land uses represented in the games varies greatly between different regions and countries. In games set in European countries, for example, the proportion of urban land uses is lower than in games set in the United States, while the representation of agricultural land uses is higher. The study found that open-world video games give an inaccurate view of how land is used. Cities and man-made structures are shown more often than they really are, while farms and agricultural land are shown less often. This can cause players to have an incorrect understanding of how land is used in reality. Most of the land use in these games does not change over time and does not show the effects of time passing. This means that seasonal changes and dynamic farming Figure 10. A forest in KCD. 16 Games and Culture 0(0) activities are not shown. One exception to this is the game SPI, which does show the effects of different seasons on the landscape and has different visuals and gameplay depending on the time of year. Some other games, like SKY, show different seasons depending on the location. 8. Population. Population is consistently underrepresented according to various unofficial websites consulted for NPC data. The population density was calculated by dividing this number by the area. In the case of SKY, the game’s representation of population has an average density of only 1 person per square kilometer, while the actual population density of medieval England, where the game seems to be set, was estimated to be around 5–10 people per square kilometer. Similarly, in GTAV, it was found that the game’s representation of population had an average density of only two people per square kilometer, while the actual population density of the Los Angeles area, where the game is set, is around 2,7000 people per square kilometer. Other games such as FC5 and ACOr also showed a significant underrepresentation of population compared to actual population densities of the regions where the games are set. This underrepresentation of population in open-world video games can be attributed to the game developers’focus on gameplay and visual aesthetics rather than accuracy in representing population densities. Additionally, the limitations of current technology also play a role in the underrepresentation of population in these games. Another key aspect of population representation in video games is the distribution of population. Cities in video games often have a disproportionate percentage of the total population compared to real-world cities. This is particularly pronounced in games that take place in the past, when rural populations were larger than urban populations. This phenomenon is likely due to the game developers’focus on creating visually impressive and bustling city environments for players to explore, rather than accurately representing historical population distribution patterns. The representation of ethnic groups in video games is a significant aspect to consider. There are often patterns in the distribution of different ethnicities in the games, with some areas being associated with certain groups. Some video games like GTA saga have been criticized for portraying ethnic minorities in stereotypical and limited ways, while others have been praised for their more nuanced and respectful representation. These representations can impact players’perceptions and attitudes toward different ethnic groups. It is widely recognized that there is a lack of representation and diversity in video games, and that what representation exists often reinforces harmful cultural prejudices. Ranking the Analyzed Video Games The following section presents the ranking of the analyzed video games based on their depiction of various geographical features and the degree of realism in their virtual Fraile-Jurado 17 environments. The results are summarized in Table 3 and Table 4 and in Figures 11 and 12. The results obtained for the various games were varied, with some games performing particularly high and others performing below average (Figure 11). The games that obtained the highest scores were KCD and DS, with average scores of 4.11 and 4.17, respectively. KCD scored highly in several variables, including relief, waters, vegetation, and land uses. The relief was rated with the highest score, and the waters and vegetation were also rated highly, indicating a detailed representation of these features. The population distribution and density were also rated highly, indicating a realistic depiction of the population in the game’s setting. The map size and speed transit variables scored slightly lower than the other variables. The games with the lowest scores were TC, W2 and RR, with average scores of 1.44, 2.78 and 2.00, respectively. These games were marked by obtaining low values in majority of categories. For example, TC stands out for its expansive map size, which earned a high score of 5 out of 5. However, the game performs poorly in all other variables, with the lowest scores in speed transit, relief, climate, waters, vegetation, population distribution, population density, and land uses. Figure 11. Radar charts of the 12 nonurban video games analyzed, ordered by their average punctuation. 18 Games and Culture 0(0) Table 3. Results of the Analysis of the Nine Variables. ACOd ACOr DS FCP FC5 GoT GTAV KCD RDR2 RR Skyrim TC Map size V1 3 3 4 3 2 2 2 1 3 4 2 5 Speed transit V2 4 4 3 3 4 4 3 3 4 2 3 1 Relief V3 3 3 5 2 5 1 3 5 5 3 3 1 Climate V4 4 3 4 3 3 4 3 3 3 1 1 1 Waters V5 4 4 5 2 4 2 3 5 5 1 2 1 Vegetation V6 5 5 4 4 3 4 3 5 4 1 3 1 Population distribution V7 2 2 1 4 3 2 5 4 4 1 Population density V8 3 3 1 2 4 1 5 3 3 1 Land uses V9 4 3 4 4 3 5 3 2 2 1 AVERAGE 3,56 3,33 4,17 2,38 3,44 3,11 2,56 4,11 3,78 2,00 2,56 1,44 19 Other games like GTAV, RDR2, ACOd, and ACOr had average scores ranging between 2.56 and 3.56 and showed mixed results in terms of map size, population distribution, and relief. ACOd and ACOr had similar scores, with the former being better rated for vegetation, while the latter scored higher in climate. RDR2 presents a highly diverse and detailed landscape, featuring a wide range of geographic features such as mountains, forests, and water bodies. However, the game scored lower in terms of population density and land uses. GoT, SKY and FC5 were also in the middle range, with scores between 3.11 and 3.44. They were characterized by their average map size and vegetation, while the relief varied depending on the game. The water and population density were also important factors that contributed to the scores. The results regarding the calculation of the quality of each game in its representation of exclusively natural elements (relief, climate, water, and vegetation) highlight the games DS (4.50) and KCD (4.50), slightly above RDR2 (4.25). The two games that worst represent these natural elements are TC (1.00) and RR (1.25). Regarding video games that take place in exclusively urban environments (Figure 12), the scores were quite similar, with SPI (3.67) standing out slightly above Y6 (3.40), SD (3.20), and Watch Dogs (3.20). In terms of map size, Y6 and SD obtained the lowest score of 1 out of 5, while W2 and SPI scored 2 and 1, respectively. Regarding speed transit, all games scored relatively high, with Y6 obtaining the Table 4. Results of the Analysis of the Six Variables Studied in Urban Games. Y6 W2 SPI SD Map size V1 1 2 1 1 Speed transit V2 5 4 4 4 Climate V4 1 1 5 3 Population distribution V7 3 4 4 4 Population density V8 3 3 4 4 Land and uses V9 4 3 4 4 Average 2.83 2.83 3.67 3.33 Figure 12. Radar charts of the four urban video games analyzed, ordered by their average punctuation. 20 Games and Culture 0(0) highest score of 5, followed by SPI, W2, and SD. For climate, W2 and SD scored 3, while Y6 and SPI obtained the lowest score of 1. In population distribution, SD and SPI scored the highest with a 4, while Y6 and W2 scored 3 and 4, respectively. As for population density, all games scored relatively low, with Y6 and SPI obtaining a 3, and W2 and SD scoring 4. Finally, in land uses, Y6 obtained the highest score of 4, followed by SD and SPI with 4, and W2 with 3. Overall, these games present a relatively moderate average score, ranging from 2.83 to 3.67, partially explained by the small map size, in comparison to the games of Table 2. Discussion In the study’sfirst phase, aimed at identifying the general characteristics of the 15 video games’virtual territories, it is noted that the video games are influenced by the developers’need to offer a fast consumer product, leading to shortened distances and increased slopes. While realism is secondary to gameplay mechanics and plot, some games like RDR2 and KCD show a significant interest in appearing geographically accurate, reflected in longer travel times. The visual elements of the territory, such as terrain, vegetation, waters, and population, are given high priority, but variables such as climate and land use receive less attention. Despite the 15 games having a good visual representation of the territory, results show a diverse range of evaluations, both in average value and in each variable. This is due to the relative nature of the index, with a maximum and minimum value identified for each variable among the 15 games (Ojeda et al., 2009). The findings of the paper show that there is a trade-off between transit speed and level of detail in the virtual territories of the video games. Games like Y6 or KCD, which are characterized by slow transit speeds, are highly detailed, while TC, a pure driving game, has much lower levels of detail due to its high speeds that often exceed 150 km/h. In the analysis of open-world video games, it is apparent that the accuracy of geographical aspects is often subordinate to the entertainment value and marketability of the game. However, there are notable exceptions to this rule, as some games prioritize attention to detail in their geographic elements as a unique selling point. Nonetheless, it is clear that for many games, the primary goal is not geographic accuracy, but rather creating an immersive and entertaining experience for players. Therefore, there seems to be a trade-off between accuracy and entertainment value, with developers striving to strike a balance between the two in order to create a successful and popular game. Within this balance between playability and unintended geographic accuracy, it has been noted that video games also give players a sense of power and control over the spatial form of the landscape. However, it is important to consider that video games reflect the moral ideologies of their producers and, therefore, limit or direct the types of lessons about the real world that players can learn. The literature lacks discussion on class-based spatial segregation which is often evident in some of the analyzed games. For instance, in games such as GTAV and ACOd, a clear connection is made between poverty, marginalization, and crime in Fraile-Jurado 21 economically deprived neighborhoods, potentially impacting players’perceptions. This aspect has been neglected in academic literature and deserves further investigation. On the other hand, Kühn et al. (2019) did not find significant negative effects of violent gameplay on any measures of aggression, interpersonal competencies, empathy, executive functions, or affect, providing robust evidence against the negative effects of long-term violent gameplay, as it is also supported by McCarthy et al. (2016). Playing open-world video games provides the player with the perception of exploring spaces that have not been visited in real life. This phenomenon, within the diversity of territories and even historical periods such as those presented in only 15 video games in this study, offers enormous educational potential that is not ignored by the academic community (Aguilera & Mendiz, 2003,Wills, 2002,Egenfeldt-Nielsen, 2006,Scarlett, 2015). In this sense, it should be noted that it has already been demonstrated (Pingel, 2018) that familiarity with certain territories allows them to be incorporated into mental maps, especially in symbolic territories. It will still be necessary to incorporate the role of territories explored only virtually, such as those in video games, and the role that their geographical accuracy plays. Conclusions Open-world video games provide an extraordinary opportunity for immersion into diverse and unique geographical territories. However, these games often make geographical inaccuracies by prioritizing the gameplay mechanics and narrative elements over the accurate representation of the terrain. The elements that are treated with greater accuracy are usually the terrain and vegetation, which are more visually appealing than climatic elements such as climate and water. Despite this, the aspect that stands out the most is the shortening of distances between elements. This reduction of distances leads to an increase in slopes, which often can create a perception of a more challenging and exciting terrain for the player. From the Physical Geography point of view, changes in vegetation and even biomes within a few kilometers are another uniqueness that must be taken into account when using these games for noneducational purposes. In human aspects, the distribution of population in some video games reveals a worrying spatial segregation of class and race. Not all games prioritize the landscape in the same way. Games such as RDR2 or KCD showcase open, realistic, and geographically accessible worlds. However, there are other games that prioritize gameplay over realism, resulting in less realistic representations of the landscapes. Games that take place exclusively in urban areas often show exceptional detail and great similarity to the cities they represent, although the size of the map is always very limited. It is worth mentioning that the analysis carried out in this work only covers 15 widely distributed and successful video games from among thousands of releases in the past decade. Further studies are necessary to delve deeper into each of these elements for a better educational and social utilization. 22 Games and Culture 0(0) Declaration of Conflicting Interests The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. Funding The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article ORCID iD Pablo Fraile-Jurado https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0382-0931 References Aguilera, M. D., & Mendiz, A. (2003). Video games and education: (education in the face of a “parallel school”). ACM Computers in Entertainment,1(1), 10–10. https://doi.org/10.1145/ 950566.950583 Ash, J. (2009). 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His main research focus is mapping sea level rise as a result of climate change, but in recent years he has added a line of research on geography education. He has participated in more than 12 scientific projects and has been teaching at the University of Seville since 2004. Fraile-Jurado 25