Operation Jane Walk

The video was created from a live performance in the game Tom Clancy's: The Division (Massive Entertainment, 2016), a multiplayer shooter.

Four avatars take a city tour of the New York borough of Manhattan, which is in a state of war following the outbreak of a pandemic. Within the rules of the game software, the militaristic environ- ment is repurposed for a pacifist sightseeing tour, explaining the archi- tecture of buildings as well as the urban planning of New York. In the process, the digital tourist group tries to dodge the attacks of other players and avoid fights. The buildings are no longer the backdrop for a combat operations, but become landmarks that are the center of attention. Machine gun sights were no longer used to aim at enemies, but as binoculars to view architectural details. The artists show the social, economic and political aspects of a city that is otherwise perceived by players only as an atmospheric environment.