At the Discussion Club meeting, students discussed the phenomenon of video games as an instrument of soft power

On 17 February, another meeting of the Discussion Club on International Relations in East Asia was held, led by Maria Chizhevskaya.

© Maria Kovylyna and Veronika Myachina

Third-year bachelor's students Maria Kovylyna and Veronika Myachina presented a report on ‘China's soft power concept in the context of digital globalisation, using the example of HoYoverse video games.’ During the presentation, the speakers outlined the evolution of the Chinese state's attitude towards games — from ‘spiritual opium’ to an instrument of cultural diplomacy. Particular attention was paid to two cases: the scandal surrounding the design of characters in the Natlan region in Genshin Impact, which sparked a debate about racial representation among Western players, and the situation with the reworking of the planet Edo in Honkai: Star Rail due to the deterioration of Sino-Japanese relations in November 2025.

During the discussion, club members discussed why video games are becoming an effective tool of soft power: their global reach, their ability to subtly convey cultural values through aesthetics and narrative, their engagement of audiences in dialogue with culture through interactivity, and the formation of loyal communities around the world that become natural conduits of cultural influence.