Moral Conversion and Video Games: The Case of ‘Spec Ops. The Line’

Moral Conversion and Video Games is an in-depth exploration of Spec Ops: The Line, a critically acclaimed video game that subverts its genre by confronting players with the psychological and moral consequences of war. Disguised as a standard third-person shooter, the game gradually reveals a dark, self-critical narrative in which the player’s choices, though seemingly free, lead to horrifying outcomes, most notably a white phosphorus attack on civilians. Praised for its story, aesthetic, and philosophical depth, the game has been interpreted as a critique of glorified violence, American exceptionalism, and the illusion of meaningful choice in video games. Its use of cognitive and ludo-narrative dissonance forces players to reflect on their own complicity in virtual violence. The game’s mirrored reference to Raphael’s Sistine Madonna, recast as a burned mother and child, deepens its ethical and even theological resonance. This insightful and in-depth study will interest researchers and students of video game studies, moral philosophy, and cultural theology.