Portrayals of Nazisploitation and the Exploration of War and Hero in Popular Media: A Case Study of Call of Duty: World at War

Abstract

This paper explores how Treyarch’s 2008 videogame, Call of Duty: World at War, remembers the history of World War II, and the German and Russian soldiers of the Eastern Front. Specifically, this paper looks at how Nazisploitation is used, and the conclusions developers encourage players to derive from it. World at War forgoes the fantastical and sexual elements of Nazisploitation for a more serious approach to claim historical authenticity. This paper argues that the videogame ultimately remains detached from the real historical context and experiences of those involved to create a narrative that reiterates the continued relevance of American and post-Soviet popular remembrance of World War II and its heroes. Additionally, this highlights how videogames, as an art medium, engage with history as a secondary source that can interpret and recall the past.