I’ve been playing video games since Jungle Hunt on Atari. And if you’ve been gaming anywhere near that long, you probably understand how easy it is to get jaded and begin your search for something fresh. The industry, especially in the West, is crowded with fantasy and RPG games that reuse the same tired aesthetic: medieval Europe, Tolkien-style magic systems, and endless quests in kingdoms full of pale-skinned knights and gloomy castles.
I had been a loyal World of Warcraft player from 2004 to 2019. I’ve also poured a lot of hours into The Elder Scrolls Online. But lately, even with expansions and patches, everything just feels the same. As a writer, I get early access to new games from indie teams, AA studios, and major AAA developers. Don’t get me wrong. Game developers and writers do their big one and I’m not discounting their hard work. However, I often feel like I’m looking at different versions of the same game with slightly updated graphics and new character names.
That changed when I started paying more attention to video games developed in China. It wasn’t just about trying something new. It was about stepping outside the Eurocentric lens that defines most of the West’s fantasy genre. Chinese games have opened up a new way to think about magic, myth, and even storytelling structure.
Western Fantasy Feels Like a Loop
There’s no denying the influence of Tolkien on Western fantasy. From Dungeons & Dragons to Dragon Age to Skyrim, the blueprint has been copied countless times. Elves, dwarves, orcs, mages, dragons. All of it ties back to a medieval European foundation.
The problem isn’t just repetition. It’s the cultural limits that come with it. When every fantasy world looks like some version of Britain in the Dark Ages, it’s hard to feel surprised. Even games like Kingdom Come: Deliverance or Pax Dei, which aim for historical accuracy or fresh mechanics, can’t escape that familiar, gray-toned setting.
The stories being told may change slightly, but the worldview remains anchored in Western ideals and assumptions. Good vs. evil. Chosen ones. Royal bloodlines. I’ve seen it all a hundred times. There’s no passion, just a formula for a cash grab.
