From Avatar to Actant: Player Agency, Identity Transformation, and Posthuman Play in Baldur’s Gate 3

Abstract

The analysis situates itself within cyborg anthropology and posthumanism, interrogating the liberational potential of bodily transformations and player-avatar relations in Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3). It also examines BG3’s inclusivity, questioning whether the game’s audience transcends traditional gamer demographics to include marginalized groups, reflecting socio-cultural shifts in digital media. Employing a mixed-methods approach integrating qualitative interviews and quantitative textual analysis of the game’s eight relationship-building characters, this paper examines the complexities of identity construction and bodily augmentation in virtual spaces. It explores how players leverage BG3’s affordances to navigate and negotiate personal and social identities, effectively performing a 'second life' within the game's expansive world. The study critically assesses the extent to which these virtual embodiments reflect or diverge from players' real-life identities and how this process facilitates a form of posthuman play. Data gathered from online gaming forums and social media platforms, combined with insights from player interviews, reveal a significant trend of players using BG3 to explore aspects of their identities constrained in real life. Preliminary findings indicate that players frequently create avatars embodying their ideal physical forms, gender expressions, and relational dynamics. These virtual experiences provide a liberational space for players to experiment with and affirm their identities, reinforcing the view of video games as potent sites for posthuman exploration and identity transformation. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of shifting paradigms in game design, offering critical insights into the transformative potential of video games as sites for identity exploration and bodily experimentation.