RECONSTRUCTION OF NATIONAL IDENTITY IN DIGITAL SPACE: A PHILOSOPHICAL-SEMIOTIC ANALYSIS OF THE S.T.A.L.K.E.R. BRAND

Abstract

The article provides a philosophical-semiotic analysis of the brand transformation of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. video game franchise within the context of decolonizing the digital cultural space. It explores the transition from "post-Soviet universalism" in the representation of national identity, characteristic of the series' early games, to a clearly defined Ukrainian agency, as exemplified by S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s field theory, the study substantiates the prioritization of symbolic capital accumulation over the developer studio's economic interests amidst the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war. Particular attention is paid to the semiotic analysis of verbal codes (changes in toponym transliteration, modification of in-game currency, etc.) and visual aesthetics that appeal to the actual geography of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone as a national "place of memory". Through the lens of Kathryn Woodward’s concept of identity, the marking of difference in global media discourse and the gaming community’s reaction to the brand’s shifting communication strategy are analyzed. It is argued that the franchise’s rebranding serves as an act of counter-representation that challenges imperial stereotypes regarding the Chornobyl disaster and asserts the Ukrainian cultural code on a global scale. The research highlights the role of video games as instruments of cultural diplomacy and means of constructing modern national identity in the digital age.