Strategic Pattern-Making in Computer Game Governance: A Comparative Study of Global Models and Policy Implications for the I.R.Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Group of Public Policy and Political Economy, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran

2 Assistant Professor and Faculty Member of the National Defense Higher University, Tehran, Iran.

3 Assistant Professor and Faculty Member of the University of Mazandaran, Mazandaran, Iran.

4 M.A. Graduate in Public Policy, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran.

10.22080/jpir.2026.31105.1536

Abstract

In the contemporary digital order, computer games have evolved from entertainment products into strategic assets of the digital economy, soft power, cultural security, and national security. This study comparatively examines governance and regulatory models for computer games in China, the United States, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran, with the aim of identifying the strategic foundations of these models and developing a context-sensitive policy framework for Iran. The study employs a qualitative, structured-focused comparative approach based on documentary analysis of primary and secondary sources, complemented by source triangulation. Its theoretical framework integrates digital governance theory, the Copenhagen School’s securitization approach, and Joseph Nye’s concept of soft power. The findings reveal substantial strategic divergence among the selected cases: China follows a security-centered and state-directed model; the United States relies primarily on market mechanisms and industry self-regulation; Turkey has adopted a hybrid model balancing industrial development with regulatory intervention; and the UAE pursues a developmental and technocratic approach. Iran, by contrast, is characterized by an imbalanced form of semi-governance marked by institutional fragmentation and predominantly restrictive policies. The study concludes that Iran requires a balanced governance model integrating cultural security, economic development, and digital soft power within a coherent institutional framework.

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References

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