Introduction

Artificial intelligence in the world of the video game Stray is not typically portrayed as a cold, calculating entity, but rather as complex, anthropomorphic beings living in a post-human, decaying city. Here, I will explore the discursive and ideological frameworks Stray uses to create its story, looking at how the game manipulates player perception through anthropomorphism and technological determinism. Through an examination of the game’s story, visual design, gameplay, and character interactions, specifically, the cat protagonist’s symbiotic relationship with AI companion B-12. Stray challenges traditional portrayals of AI by using anthropomorphism and environmental discourse to present artificial life as emotionally legible and politically situated.

Ideological Frameworks

Ideology is a structured set of beliefs, values, and opinions by which we understand and interpret the world, which may further or contest power relations. The anthropomorphism of AI, which gives non-human intelligences human-like traits and motivations, technological determinism, which holds that technology unilaterally drives societal change, and anxieties surrounding the ‘other’, which frame AI as a potentially foreign or dangerous force, are all important ideological frameworks when applied to AI (Salles, 2020). A specific ideological perspective works exclusively in cultural texts, like video games, that act as a means of indoctrination, convincing players to adopt certain perspectives and believe they are right when they think about complex issues. Moreover, discourse refers to how specifically language, symbols, and practices create knowledge and meaning about a certain subject, such as artificial intelligence in gaming. Stray features several forms of discourse beyond the narrative content itself, such as the interactions between robotic characters, visual aesthetics, and gameplay mechanics, each contributing to player engagement and meaning-making throughout the experience (Shaw, 2024).

Discourse

To examine Stray’s engagement with AI, discourse is a theory that extends beyond speaking and writing. It is the ideas and terminologies, tangible structures, systemic systems, symbols, as well as practices and reality within a context that are thoroughly constructing meaning and who we become in relation to the world. It looks at the way that subjects, AI in this case, are expressed, represented, and experienced within a specific cultural context. Discourse is, by definition, not something neutral; instead, it is a plastic mechanism to produce and regulate ideas, often reproducing certain types of knowledge and the ideologies and power relations that enable them. A discourse analysis of Stray will have to foreground the language and representativeness of that language; the robots’ vocabulary, and the narrative and visual/aural descriptors of AI entities. Also, the interactions between characters, especially with B-12, the cat, and the rest of the robots, are key places to discover the dynamics built into the works of artificial and organic life. Allusion to past events, present conditions, and the significations of technology and artificial intelligence also contributes to the conversation through environmental design and symbolism. In addition, how the players engage with and understand AI is shaped by the mechanics of play and player agency.

One of the main ideologies of Stray is the AI narrative embodied by the B-12 companion drone. B-12 is characterized through the game as a good, well-meaning, ultimately wise being. It is a tool, guide, and interpreter for the player, assisting them in solving puzzles, navigating the environment, and communicating with the robotic residents. Such representation often creates and emphasizes an idealized and potentially simplistic perspective of advances AI, one that foretells a time when the AI will predominantly serve and aid humanity (or his robotic successors), “Originally created as simple cleaning bots, hundreds of years without humans have left them trying to make sense of the void that humanity left behind” (Rees, 2024). While the narrative alludes to a prior technological-assisted human disaster, the current AI culture is generally rendered benevolent, with B-12 the apex of this helpful and stable machine chakra. Even though this might be effective in terms of leading with empathy, the focus on kindness may trivialize relevant ethical dilemmas and important issues related to the creation and application of sophisticated AI, potentially offering a straightforward, agreeable perspective on a breakthrough with significant and far-reaching effects.

Robot Humanity

The robot’s clear “humanity” inside the walled city is a notable ideological factor in Stray. These artificial creatures are not depicted as cold, calculating machines, but instead, they exhibit a wide range of familiar human emotions, social structures, and ambitions. They establish their communities complete with their own culture and social order; they hold practical conversations where they express concerns, dreams, and complaints, and they long for a history they have never experienced. This makes it easier for players to empathize with the robots. In the game, alcohol that can be consumed by the robots is discovered while the player is exploring. B-12 comments, “Their original design didn’t include a digestive system. Maybe they somehow evolved into mimicking humans?”, this is an example of the humans projecting their emotions and instincts onto the bots, making the distinction between them even less noticeable.

Technological Determinism

The game conveys a narrative technolocial determinism through environmental storytelling, “Technological determinism is a theoretical concept in sociology that considers technology as a driving force behind human history, providing that it actively constructs society and pushes it on a historical trajectory or even history on a technological road” (JWU, 2023). The decaying city, a graveyard of human society that only the robots now occupy, presents an alternative path where, in some abstract matter, technological advancements played a role in causing humanity’s death and the ascent of artificial intelligence. The games cut-off walled city setting further solidifies this concept by creating a self-contained technological ecosystem. The precise reason for humanity’s destruction is left unclear, but the context provides hints that it was due to these advancements. The robots’ dependency on the control of the city’s infrastructure, their anxiety of eternal threats, and their agony to understand their origins all suggest a world essentially ruled by technological means and forces. In memory, B-12 comments, “Even in times of crisis, humans were divided by wealth and class. Bath then, lots of people from the Slums would do anything to get up there. Robots used to copy this behavior as well”. The game’s broader commentary on social stratification and the persistence of inequality, even in this post-human world, is highlighted by this observation. It subtly suggests that technology is a force of its own that humanity is incapable of controlling or even understanding, with its own momentum and potential future advancements.

Player Perspective

However, the plot of Stray and specifically the choice of a non-human protagonist (a cat) has a huge impact on how its viewed by the players and ultimately flows into the AI dialogue portrayed in the game. A moment when the game first opens that sense of observation and detachment by having the player see the robot-inhabited city through the eyes of an outsider, “That very simple mechanic works some real wonders, particularly as the fact that you’re a cat ends up not actually being that important to either the artificial people you meet or what you’re ever asked to do” (Marks, 2022).  As a cat, you can’t read, don’t understand the notion of society (human or robotic), are left with little more than visual signs, environmental storytelling, and B-12’s attempts at making sense of the world. This different perspective, from an outside, nonjudgemental vantage point, offers a big-picture critical eye on robot culture, exposing their routines, their fears, and even their absurdities. But as the story’s narrative unfolds and the cat becomes more entangled in the goals and struggles of the robots, that original detachment develops into a kind of vicarious participation. The players actions increasingly mirror the fate of the robots, which may also help make the case for the AI being nice and foster acceptance of their anthropomorphic properties. The positioning of the player in such an objective way within the initial framing may allow for a detached critique that is harder to work our way through in a more critical analysis of what the AI does and how it is working within the story, allowing us to observe the society and how it operates without being too embroiled in the ideologies of it as the story progresses.

Visual Components

In terms of visual aesthetics, the robots are designed with artistic anatomical engineering components. Their body language often mimics that of human sadness, curiosity, or concern, further bolstering robot-like humans. The environments, from the neon-streaked alleyways, to the pile of refuse in the robot’s living area, are passively narrational, suggesting a bid on the societies part to incorporate, inherit, and depends on human infrastructure continuity. During the story, one such painting can be found in the central area of the Slums, reading “Our ancestors long gone, the Soft Ones, gave us this city. Our home is their legacy,” a reference to the legacy the humans left behind in the environment. The players sensory experience of these robotic inhabitants and their plight is subtly shaped by the muted color palettes and atmospheric lighting that instills a sense of sadness and isolation. So does auditory conversation. Through beeps, whirs, and synthesized sounds, the robot-speak evokes varying degrees of emotion, enabling players to determine their intent and attitude. The ambient soundtrack, evocative and melancholic, augments the players emotional connection with the robots and the fallen city.

In this conversation, we must also consider the players agency and the workings of the game itself. The player engages directly with B-12 in the core gameplay to solve puzzles, traverse the environment, and progress the story. This partnership further solidifies the AI narrative around an appealing, useful companion, and a key tool. The puzzles themselves very often require a kind of symbiosis between the cat’s special physical abilities and B-12’s technological skill, and as such, any potential conflict or power imbalances are downplayed. Yet, even where agency exists for the player in exploring the environment and interacting with the robots, the game structures the player not to really challenge the knowledge of the world the game draws. As much as I could challenge the concepts of AI featured heavily in this game, such as Robinson, the dominating robot which you run from, or you even encounter the drone comapions, all of which B-12 guides you through with their narrations, it was difficult to break through the established understand of AI set before you. Instead of offering opportunities to challenge the AI’s motivations or inquire into the larger implications of its presence in society, the mechanics instead foster a collaborative, solution-oriented approach to working with the AI. This is because the gameplay itself reinforces the notion that AI is a convenient and fundamental part of the protagonists quest, thus gently guiding the player toward a receptiveness to the ideologies regarding AI that are being promulgated in the game (Leon, et al., 2025).

Anthropomorphism

While Stray presents primarily an anthropomorphized and therefore radical notion of AI that is supposedly positive, it is important to acknowledge potential objections and alternative readings. Depicting AI as humanoid mimics with human emotions and social structures while at the same time subjecting them to relatability ultimately cheapens the complexity and mystery of advanced artificial intelligence, potentially rendering it unknown or misunderstood. Focusing on contrasting some AI characters like B-12 and the city’s robots is likely to obscure broader systemic questions that exist outside the world of the game itself in terms of ethics, governance, and the long-term effects of pervasive AI. But the environmental storytelling also has implications of technology leading to the end of the world, and the game is left open to varying interpretations where humanity does not get solely blamed on AI. The robots are not only inheritors, they may be victims of an earlier catastrophe caused by humans. Additionally, despite the unique point of departure it affords, the cat’s perspective can also be viewed to limit a fuller understanding of the robots inner lives and motivations through a non-AI lens. A less sentimental interpretation of the robots behavior could be provided by some players who view the robots yearning for the past as a reflection of the data set they inherited from their human creators or the type of programmed nostalgia rather than a sign of their humanity. These alternative readings highlight both the narratives ambiguity and suggest that the game’s interpretation of AI isn’t so cut and dry and might even be read in multiple ways.

In conclusion, Stray presents a sophisticated and nuanced picture of AI, delving into issues of technological determinism and anthropomorphism in addition to straightforward representations. The game challenges players to think about the possible effects of technological advancement and the persistent nature of social inequalities through its detailed environmental storytelling. The narrative’s emphasis on the cat offers a distinctive perspective on the robot society. In the end, Stray’s examination of AI through its story, graphics, and gameplay elements makes players consider the moral, societal, and philosophical ramifications of advanced AI.

Sources

JWU. (2023, October 23). Technological determinism: Big tech’s influence | jwu cps. JWU College of Professional Studies. https://online.jwu.edu/blog/unraveling-technological-determinism-navigating-big-techs-influence-on-society/

Leon, Cristo & Lipuma, James & Cowin, Jasmin & Rangel Jiménez, Mauricio. (2025). Meta-Participation and Ethical Transparency in Role-Playing Games: Examining AI and Algorithmic Influence [Peer-reviewed journal]. Scientific Journal of Applied Social and Clinical Science. 5. 1-14. 10.22533/at.ed.216542520024.

Marks, T. (2022, July 18). Stray review. IGN. https://www.ign.com/articles/stray-review

Rees, A. ‘shanodin.’ (2024, August 4). Stray review [Substack newsletter]. Quick Play. https://quickplay.substack.com/p/stray

Salles, A., Evers, K., & Farisco, M. (2020). Anthropomorphism in AI. AJOB neuroscience, 11(2), 88–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/21507740.2020.1740350

​​Shaw, A. (2024). Video games as cultural studies other. International Journal of Cultural Studies, 28(2), 343-353. https://doi.org/10.1177/13678779241295771 (Original work published 2025)