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<article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/" article-type="research-article" dtd-version="1.2" xml:lang="en"><front><journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism</journal-id><journal-title-group><journal-title xml:lang="en">RUDN Journal of Studies in Literature and Journalism</journal-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>Вестник Российского университета дружбы народов. Серия: Литературоведение. Журналистика</trans-title></trans-title-group></journal-title-group><issn publication-format="print">2312-9220</issn><issn publication-format="electronic">2312-9247</issn><publisher><publisher-name xml:lang="en">Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University)</publisher-name></publisher></journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">50991</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.22363/2312-9220-2026-31-2-511-526</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="edn">IHISTC</article-id><article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="toc-heading" xml:lang="en"><subject>JOURNALISM</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="toc-heading" xml:lang="ru"><subject>Журналистика</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="article-type"><subject>Research Article</subject></subj-group></article-categories><title-group><article-title xml:lang="en">From Screen Representation to Gaming Experience: The Transformation of Soft Power Practices</article-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>От экранного образа к игровому опыту: трансформация практик мягкой силы</trans-title></trans-title-group></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0009-0008-2807-1413</contrib-id><contrib-id contrib-id-type="spin">4594-5755</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name xml:lang="en"><surname>Turunov</surname><given-names>Denis M.</given-names></name><name xml:lang="ru"><surname>Турунов</surname><given-names>Денис Михайлович</given-names></name></name-alternatives><bio xml:lang="en"><p>Postgraduate Student at the Department of Mass Communications</p></bio><bio xml:lang="ru"><p>аспирант кафедры массовых коммуникаций</p></bio><email>1142240179@rudn.ru</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"/></contrib></contrib-group><aff-alternatives id="aff1"><aff><institution xml:lang="en">RUDN University</institution></aff><aff><institution xml:lang="ru">Российский университет дружбы народов</institution></aff></aff-alternatives><pub-date date-type="pub" iso-8601-date="2026-06-30" publication-format="electronic"><day>30</day><month>06</month><year>2026</year></pub-date><volume>31</volume><issue>2</issue><issue-title xml:lang="en"/><issue-title xml:lang="ru"/><fpage>511</fpage><lpage>526</lpage><history><date date-type="received" iso-8601-date="2026-07-02"><day>02</day><month>07</month><year>2026</year></date></history><permissions><copyright-statement xml:lang="en">Copyright ©; 2026, Turunov D.M.</copyright-statement><copyright-statement xml:lang="ru">Copyright ©; 2026, Турунов Д.М.</copyright-statement><copyright-year>2026</copyright-year><copyright-holder xml:lang="en">Turunov D.M.</copyright-holder><copyright-holder xml:lang="ru">Турунов Д.М.</copyright-holder><ali:free_to_read xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/"/><license><ali:license_ref xmlns:ali="http://www.niso.org/schemas/ali/1.0/">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0</ali:license_ref></license></permissions><self-uri xlink:href="https://journals.rudn.ru/literary-criticism/article/view/50991">https://journals.rudn.ru/literary-criticism/article/view/50991</self-uri><abstract xml:lang="en"><p>In recent decades, video games have established a stable position in the global media landscape, transforming from a niche entertainment format into a mass cultural phenomenon. In the context of the active use of cinema and TV as instruments of soft power, there is growing interest in video games as a potential channel of cultural impact. However, their analysis is often carried out without sufficient consideration of the specifics of their media nature. The purpose of this article is to examine video games as a special type of screen media in the context of cultural diplomacy, with an emphasis on their unique characteristics. The study analyzes the language of video games in comparison with other screen media, in particular cinema. Additionally, secondary statistical data on the size of the media market and audience engagement are used. It is shown that the cultural impact of video games is formed not only through narrative content, but also through the unique architecture of game media, based on a deep level of engagement. The results make it possible to consider video games as a medium with great potential for use in soft power, while maintaining the need for further analysis of the specific mechanisms of such influence.</p></abstract><trans-abstract xml:lang="ru"><p>В последние десятилетия видеоигры заняли устойчивое положение в структуре глобального медиаландшафта, превратившись из нишевого формата развлечений в массовый культурный феномен. На фоне активного использования кино и телевидения в качестве инструментов мягкой силы возрастает интерес к видеоиграм как к потенциальному каналу культурного влияния, однако их анализ нередко осуществляется без достаточного учета специфики медиальной природы. Цель - рассмотреть видеоигры как особый тип экранного медиа в контексте культурной дипломатии с акцентом на их уникальные характеристики. В работе применяется анализ языка видеоигр в сравнении с другими экранными медиа, в частности с кино. Дополнительно используются вторичные статистические данные о размерах медиарынка и вовлеченности аудитории. Показано, что культурное воздействие видеоигр формируется не только через нарративное содержание, но и через уникальную архитектуру игровой медиальности, основанной на глубоком уровне вовлеченности. Полученные результаты позволяют рассматривать видеоигры как медиум, обладающий большим потенциалом для использования в рамках мягкой силы, при сохранении необходимости дальнейшего анализа конкретных механизмов такого воздействия.</p></trans-abstract><kwd-group xml:lang="en"><kwd>cultural diplomacy</kwd><kwd>cultural impact</kwd><kwd>game engagement</kwd><kwd>interactive media</kwd><kwd>screen media</kwd><kwd>narrative design</kwd><kwd>game studies</kwd></kwd-group><kwd-group xml:lang="ru"><kwd>культурная дипломатия</kwd><kwd>культурное влияние</kwd><kwd>вовлеченность в игру</kwd><kwd>интерактивные медиа</kwd><kwd>экранные медиа</kwd><kwd>нарративный дизайн</kwd><kwd>гейм-стадис</kwd></kwd-group><funding-group/></article-meta><fn-group/></front><body></body><back><ref-list><ref id="B1"><label>1.</label><citation-alternatives><mixed-citation xml:lang="en">Belyaev, D.A. (2023). The media language of video games: The history of the formation and semiotics of cybertexts. 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