Agency

Having agency in a video game, I agree with Poole, it is an illusion. But with the notion; that human has no agency in a game; it has pulled my knowledge of agency even further apart. If Murray defines ‘agency’ as having the satisfying power to make meaningful action and see the results of those choices and decisions. Then in a game who makes those decisions? Who has the power to make those choices? Who chooses the paths that avatar, The Nameless One will take in Planescape Torment? I’m sure and well aware that we all agree it would be up to the gamer, the human component in a video game. But can these choices really be called ‘choices’ when it’s concerning a video game due to the fact that all possible outcome has all been determined? The game has been designed to know what will happen next if the gamer makes this specific move. Gailey noticed this perception of choice, that it may seem limitless within a game, but in reality it’s an illusion because choices within a video game are limited to specific moves that a character can make. Now it is clear to me that video games has no agency but the way I see it, humans do have agency, maybe not when they’re actually playing the games due to the illusion in choices etc, but they have the power to choose to ‘play’ or not to ‘play’ which I believe consists the gamer having ‘agency’.