| Project title: | A Cozy Escape |
| Location: | A virtual experience set within the metaverse on the Rec Room platform |
| Date(s): | 2024 and ongoing |
Contextual Statement
The project “A Cozy Escape” is a virtual experience set within the metaverse on the Rec Room platform. It is designed as a cozy escape room, facilitating collaborative puzzle-solving while encouraging discussions about the capitalist frameworks embedded in cozy games.
The choice to situate this project within the metaverse, and particularly within virtual reality (VR), stems from the metaverse’s potential to extend traditional gaming environments into social spaces, where real people interact within worlds otherwise populated by non-player characters (NPCs). VR offers the most immersive experience of the metaverse, enhancing the sense of presence and engagement, making it an ideal medium for exploring the complex themes of consumerism and escapism inherent in cozy games.
This project was inspired by Zoe Bee’s video essay The Beautiful Illusion of Cozy Games, which argues that cozy games are simulations of an idealized version of reality, where mundane activities are transformed into comforting, predictable tasks. Titles like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing simulate capitalist structures where players must buy, sell, and repay debts. These games highlight the tension between realism and idealism, portraying a world where consumerism is stripped of its negative consequences, making it more palatable and even enjoyable.
Artistically, “A Cozy Escape” is situated within the evolving recognition of video games as a legitimate art form. The USA legally recognized video games as an art form in 2011, marking a significant shift in how the medium is perceived (CGMagazine, 2021). This project draws inspiration from the “Open World: Video Games & Contemporary Art” exhibition at the Akron Art Museum, which showcases how video games can be used to address pressing societal issues (Juxtapoz Magazine, 2020). Additionally, the work of JooYoung Choi, particularly her use of vibrant colours and blocky shapes in exploring themes of inclusivity and social justice, directly influences the visual style of this project.
The theoretical framework of “A Cozy Escape” is informed by Jean Baudrillard’s concept of hyperreality and Guy Debord’s critique of the spectacle. Baudrillard’s idea that the line between reality and simulation is increasingly blurred is particularly relevant in the VR environment of this project, where the simulated world becomes more engaging and comforting than reality itself (Baudrillard, 1994).
Debord’s analysis of capitalist societies, where life is dominated by images and representations that distract from genuine social relations, also underpins this project. Cozy games, with their aesthetically pleasing and engaging visuals, can be seen as part of this spectacle, diverting players from real-world issues by immersing them in idealized virtual worlds (Debord, 1994).
“A Cozy Escape” critiques the paradox of cozy games as both escapist and capitalist simulators. Through VR, the project engages players in a space that challenges the notion of coziness within capitalist frameworks, inviting reflection on whether these games truly offer an escape or simply a more appealing version of the systems they aim to avoid.
Project Documentation
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