Representing City Development: A Critical Geographic Analysis of Urban Simulation Games

Introduction City-building games, despite their niche status compared to mainstream action titles, significantly influence players’ conceptions of urban dynamics, governance, and spatial organization. Objective This study critically analyzes how selected urban simulation games represent the production and management of urban space, highlighting implicit ideological assumptions embedded within their spatial, political, and aesthetic dimensions. Method and results Utilizing qualitative methodologies from critical game studies and urban geography, this paper reveals that most city-building games represent urban development as a centralized, depoliticized process governed by rational managerial authority, often omitting representations of conflict, informality, and social inequality. Through procedural rhetoric, these games naturalize neoliberal and technocratic urban paradigms, reinforcing visions of cities as territories optimized for efficiency rather than as contested spaces shaped by socio-political struggles. While some titles attempt complexity by introducing alternative political systems or ideological conflicts, these remain largely superficial. Conclusions The findings underline the potential of city-building games as influential cultural narratives about urbanism, power, and society, calling for greater engagement between critical urban theory and digital game design to foster more nuanced and socially-aware urban imaginaries.