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Journals / Güncel Turizm Araştırmaları Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 10 Sayı: 1

Cultural Representation at the Intersection of Gastronomy, Gaming, and Tourism: Insights from Player Experiences

Gastronomi, Oyun ve Turizm Kesişiminde Kültürel Temsil: Oyuncu Deneyimlerinden Bulgular

Yağız Batuhan Eraslan(KASTAMONU ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TURİZM FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0001-8047-5943
Serkan Çalışkan(KASTAMONU ÜNİVERSİTESİ, TURİZM FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0002-4996-8640
Pages
349–371
Publication Date
2026-03-27
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings reveal that gastronomy in digital games functions not merely as an aesthetic component but as a multilayered representational medium that reinforces cultural identity and influences destination image.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Understanding how gastronomic elements in digital games shape player perception, and how these elements relate to cultural representation, destination image, and tourist curiosity, constitutes the central focus of this study.
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Key Findings & Data:Gastronomy-related scenes from Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Grand Theft Auto V were examined through visual content analysis, while qualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews with players who experienced both games were analyzed using MAXQDA-based thematic procedures.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings reveal that gastronomy in digital games functions not merely as an aesthetic component but as a multilayered representational medium that reinforces cultural identity and influences destination image.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Dijital Oyunlar · Gastronomi Temsili · Kültürel Temsil

Abstract

Understanding how gastronomic elements in digital games shape player perception, and how these elements relate to cultural representation, destination image, and tourist curiosity, constitutes the central focus of this study. Gastronomy-related scenes from Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Grand Theft Auto V were examined through visual content analysis, while qualitative data obtained from semi-structured interviews with players who experienced both games were analyzed using MAXQDA-based thematic procedures. The findings reveal that gastronomy in digital games functions not merely as an aesthetic component but as a multilayered representational medium that reinforces cultural identity and influences destination image. Moreover, authenticity, cultural cues, and visual presentation were found to stimulate gastronomic curiosity and a desire to experience related foods in real life. By addressing the limited body of research on gastronomic representation in digital games, this study provides one of the first comprehensive examinations of how in-game food imagery contributes to cultural transmission and shapes tourism-related attitudes and behaviors.

Özet

Dijital oyunlardaki gastronomik öğelerin oyuncu algısını nasıl yönlendirdiği ve bu öğelerin kültürel temsil, destinasyon imajı ile turistik merakla kurduğu ilişkiyi bütüncül bir perspektiften değerlendirmek bu araştırmanın temel çıkış noktasını oluşturmaktadır. Yakuza: Like a Dragon ve Grand Theft Auto V oyunlarına ait gastronomik sahneler görsel analiz yöntemi kullanılarak incelenmiş; bu oyunları deneyimleyen katılımcılarla gerçekleştirilen görüşmelerden elde edilen veriler ise MAXQDA destekli tematik analiz aracılığıyla değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular, gastronominin oyunlarda yalnızca estetik bir unsur değil, kültürel kimlik aktarımını güçlendiren ve destinasyon imajını etkileyen çok katmanlı bir temsil alanı olduğunu göstermektedir. Ayrıca otantiklik, kültürel kodlar ve görsel sunumun oyuncularda gastronomik merak ve gerçek dünyaya yönelik deneyim isteği oluşturduğu belirlenmiştir. Çalışma, dijital oyunlarda gastronominin kültürel temsile ve turizm davranışlarına etkisini inceleyen sınırlı literatüre katkı sağlayarak bu temayı bütüncül biçimde ele alan ilk araştırmalardan biri olma özelliği taşımaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Eraslan, Y. B., Çalışkan, S. (2026). Cultural Representation at the Intersection of Gastronomy, Gaming, and Tourism: Insights from Player Experiences. Güncel Turizm Araştırmaları Dergisi, Cilt: 10 Sayı: 1, 349–371. https://doi.org/10.32572/guntad.1832477

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