Paws and Politics: A Postcolonial Reading of TheCat and the Coup

The paper presents a close reading analysis of the digital game The Cat and the Coup, a documentary digital game that explores the historical narrative surrounding the 1953 coup in Iran. The game uses a unique perspective by placing the players in control of Mohammad Mosaddegh’s cat to explore a pivotal moment in Iranian history: the nationalization of the oil industry and subsequent foreign intervention. This independent game utilizes a distinctive visual style inspired by Persian miniature drawings and creates a transcultural experience, integrating traditional and contemporary symbolism of both East and West embedded in the medium-specific features of digital games. The research combines the insights of regional game studies and post-colonial studies to conduct an in-depth close reading analysis of the game’s narrative structure, visuals, and artistic choices. It argues that the game serves as a counter-narrative to dominant Western portrayals of Iran by focusing on the cultural and historical significance of the events depicted. Furthermore, the paper suggests analysing game design as a form of digital vernacular and scrutinizes the potential of independent games to challenge hegemonic narratives.