Analysis of the Impact of Graphic Design on Spatial Fiction in Digital Games Through Emblems

Bibliographic Data

ID21996722
AuthorsCihangir Eker (0000-0001-5191-8469, Atatürk University, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume15
Issue4
Pages1302-1316
Publication date2025-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueThe Turkish Online Journal of Design Art and Communication (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2146-5193 • E-ISSN: 2146-5193
PublisherTurkish Online Journal of Design, Art and Communication (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.7456/tojdac.1735949
OpenAlexW4414703840
LanguageEN
References cited27

This study investigates the influence of graphic design elements—specifically emblem designs—on the spatial construction and narrative of digital game environments. Graphic design plays a central role in digital games, impacting everything from gameplay to marketing, and becomes especially important in shaping atmosphere and storytelling through in-game spaces. The research focuses on emblem designs featured in three games: Euro Truck Simulator 2's Greece DLC (2024), which represents European cities in a truck simulation context; Cyberpunk 2077, a futuristic role-playing game; and GTA: San Andreas (2004), which centers on gang culture in 1990s America. These emblematic visuals are analyzed using semiotic methods within a case study design, supported by a theoretical framework developed for the study. The findings reveal that emblem designs contribute meaningfully to both the cultural narrative and spatial fiction of game worlds. The study aims to highlight the role of graphic design in enriching game environments and narratives, offering insights that contribute to the broader literature on visual communication in digital games

Communication design · Emblem · Graphic design · Narrative · Semiotics · Storytelling · Digital Games and Media · Digital Storytelling and Education · Media, Gender, and Advertising

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access