2023
Felczak, Mateusz; Garda, Maria B.
Zulionerzy and the Polish Independent Video Games of the Early 2000s Journal Article
In: Studies in Eastern European Cinema, vol. 14, iss. 1, pp. 25-38, 2023, ISSN: 2040-3518.
Abstract | Links | Tags: 2000s, Freeware games, Humour, Independent games, Parody, Poland, Who wants to be a Millionaire
@article{Felczak2023,
title = {Zulionerzy and the Polish Independent Video Games of the Early 2000s},
author = {Mateusz Felczak and Maria B. Garda},
url = {https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/2040350X.2022.2071519?journalCode=reec20
https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/175408353?lang=fi_FI},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1080/2040350X.2022.2071519},
issn = {2040-3518},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-01-02},
urldate = {2023-01-02},
journal = {Studies in Eastern European Cinema},
volume = {14},
issue = {1},
pages = {25-38},
abstract = {This article investigates the development of discourses related to a specific era of independent games and offers a close historical and cultural analysis of the freeware Polish game Żulionerzy (Ortalion Entertainment 2001). The game is positioned as a compelling cultural artefact from the often overlooked and underresearched period of the early 2000s, combining inspirations from the globally recognized TV franchise Who Wants to be a Millionaire and the emerging indie games scenes. The authors argue that Żulionerzy is a project that manages to capture young adults’ perspective on the economic and cultural zeitgeist of the era. Its potential as a counter-cultural and transgressive gaming intervention is further reinforced by intertextual references and a parodistic core gameplay loop. The assessment of Żulionerzy is concluded with a call to investigate similar productions which, while produced in a national language, shared their key features with the rising wave of grassroot browser-based games.},
keywords = {2000s, Freeware games, Humour, Independent games, Parody, Poland, Who wants to be a Millionaire},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
This article investigates the development of discourses related to a specific era of independent games and offers a close historical and cultural analysis of the freeware Polish game Żulionerzy (Ortalion Entertainment 2001). The game is positioned as a compelling cultural artefact from the often overlooked and underresearched period of the early 2000s, combining inspirations from the globally recognized TV franchise Who Wants to be a Millionaire and the emerging indie games scenes. The authors argue that Żulionerzy is a project that manages to capture young adults’ perspective on the economic and cultural zeitgeist of the era. Its potential as a counter-cultural and transgressive gaming intervention is further reinforced by intertextual references and a parodistic core gameplay loop. The assessment of Żulionerzy is concluded with a call to investigate similar productions which, while produced in a national language, shared their key features with the rising wave of grassroot browser-based games.