The 1986 Chornobyl catastrophe remains one of the most consequential technological disasters of the twentieth century, with enduring cultural, political, and environmental implications. In recent decades, Chornobyl and its surrounding Exclusion Zone have also become a significant site of representation within digital games, where history, memory, and speculative fiction intersect in interactive form.
This edited volume seeks to examine how video games represent, reinterpret, and transform Chornobyl as both a historical event and a mediated cultural space. It aims to bring together interdisciplinary perspectives from game studies, media studies, history, anthropology, memory studies, and related fields. By focusing on Chornobyl as both a historical event and a mediated playable space, this volume seeks to contribute to broader discussions on the role of interactive media in shaping cultural memory, historical consciousness, and speculative imaginaries. It also aims to foreground Eastern European perspectives and experiences within global game studies discourse.
The volume is also conceived in the context of two anniversaries:
40 years since the Chornobyl catastrophe (1986–2026)
20 years since the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chornobyl (2007–2027)
Scope and Topics
We invite original chapter contributions addressing (but not limited to) the following themes:
Representations of Chornobyl in video games
The gamification of nuclear disaster and post-apocalyptic environments
Historical accuracy, authenticity, and fictionalization
Cultural memory, trauma, and ethics in interactive media
The Exclusion Zone as environment, system, and narrative space
Eastern European and post-Soviet perspectives in game design
Radiation, mutation, and speculative tropes
Immersion, realism, and simulation practices
Player agency, moral choice, and affect
Transmedia comparisons (film, television, literature)
Submission Guidelines
Abstract length: up to 500 words
Chapter length: 5,000–7,000 words
Language: English
Citation style: Chicago (Notes and Bibliography)
Submissions must be original and not under consideration elsewhere
Abstracts should include:
Author name(s) and institutional affiliation(s)
A brief biographical note: 100–150 words (mention related publications)
Contact email address
Important Dates
Abstract submission deadline: 1 June 2026
Notification of acceptance: 1 July 2026
Full chapter submission: 1 November 2026
All submitted chapters will undergo a rigorous academic double peer review process.
Submission and Contact
Please send abstracts and all inquiries to:
y.kot@uw.edu.pl
Subject line: Chornobyl in Video Games – Chapter Proposal
We look forward to receiving your proposals.