Taylor Swift’s The Life of a Showgirl Songs as Video Games

“Ruin the Friendship” – Persona 3

At the start of Persona 3, the screen flashes the phrase “Memento Mori” to the player—remember you will die. There is a heartbreaking sadness to “Ruin the Friendship” in its story of Swift looking back on a high school crush that then dies. It’s almost a plea to listeners to remember death is far closer at all times than it may appear, and to truly live by cherishing the relationships we have in life. Those who have played Persona 3 can see how apt this song applies to the Atlus RPG, itself a story set in high school focused on building relationships as time gets closer and closer to running out. I suggest you have tissues ready for this one. Also I beg of you to play Persona 3 Portable rather than Reload.

“Actually Romantic” – Death Stranding

Death Stranding might not be an obvious choice for a song that is famously a mean-spirited diss-track on another singer, but hear me out. This isn’t about the content of Death Stranding, which is mostly walking across gorgeous landscapes, rather it’s about the story surrounding the game. Released in 2019, it was the first game from legendary developer Hideo Kojima following his very messy and high profile departure from Konami. Since that departure Kojima has mostly continued being his weird self, making unique games that players largely love, while Konami has been seeking to recapture some of Kojima’s talent. Just this year, while Kojima released Death Stranding 2, one of Konami’s biggest releases was a remake of Metal Gear Solid 3 (which was originally directed by Kojima). “Actually Romantic” is all about a hater being unable to stop obsessing over someone who is on to bigger and better things without giving a second thought to said hater. That’s Kojima, baby.

“Wi$h Li$t” – Stardew Valley

In “Wi$h Li$t,” Swift waxes poetic about wanting a simple life with someone to love and maybe some kids. It eschews the pursuit of materialistic things, just as the farmer in Stardew Valley does at the game’s start when they move to the titular idyllic town to get away from the rat race of city life. What greater joy could there be than farming your own land and flirting with a bunch of cute eligible neighbors that you can eventually have a baby with? And sure, your farm might eventually become a well-oiled money-making machine but it’s not about that, it’s about bagging the local hottie of your choosing.

“Wood” – Date Everything!

In her write-up of this year’s Date Everything for Endless Mode, Grace Benfell labelled the game “peak millennial cringe.” That shoe also fits the much talked about track “Wood,” a song all about how Swift’s fiancee (Travis Kelce) has a really big dick (it’s a redwood tree, get it?) and their sex is—like—really good, thanks for asking. Much like Date Everything—a game that really wants you to know how horny it is thanks to a premise of “what if household items were fuckable”—”Wood” often fails to actually be sexy in any way, despite the very evident desire for it to be perceived as such. More than anything, playing Date Everything or listening to “Wood” will induce much eye-rolling.

“Cancelled!” – Drakengard 3

Taylor Swift apparently likes her friends cancelled, and I can’t think of a more cancellable collection of friends than those found in Drakengard 3. The cast of Yoko Taro’s 2013 RPG are all sex-obssessed losers who constantly demean each other while leering at protagonist Zero (who is herself absolutely cancellable). This is a game with awful humor, though there is an aching sincerity and heart to the story that shines through when you least expect it (which is more I can say for Swift’s song). While Swift seems to be earnest about her love of cancellation, Drakengard 3 is in on the joke that this idea is an absurdity in itself. If you are able to get past the harsh exterior of Drakengard 3 you’ll find something special in its oddball mixture of humor and grimdark fantasy.

“Honey” – Lollipop Chainsaw

“Honey” is a song about how even the things people say to you maliciously can sound sweet when the right person (preferably an athletic himbo) says it. In Lollipop Chainsaw, the bubbly zombie hunter Juliet Starling gets called a lot of names (i’m serious, the way this game treats her is shockingly bad) but it’s all made ok by the fact that her talking head of a jock boyfriend Nick is there to tell her how great she is (and he is right, real ones support Juliet for being a bimbo girlboss). Just as Taylor Swift would want it, Lollipop Chainsaw turns the gory zombie hell Juliet is traversing into a saccharine sweet wonderland thanks to the power of love. 

“The Life of a Showgirl” – Immortality

The titular track of Swift’s twelfth album chronicles the life of a woman named Kitty (she’s the showgirl). She states that her haters wish she would die, “But I’m immortal now, baby dolls / I couldn’t if I tried.” It’s a story about the devil’s bargain that comes with fame, and it might as well be the unofficial anthem for Immortality’s mysterious star Marissa Marcel. The unique game from Half Mermaid Studios is all about sifting through hours of film footage in which the Hollywood starlet takes the spotlight, with the ultimate message that everything she went through solidified her in the cultural zeitgeist. She’s immortal (as is Kitty, as is Swift) and there’s nothing you can do about it.

Willa Rowe is a queer games critic based in New York City whose writing has been featured in Digital Trends, Kotaku, Inverse, and more. She also hosts the Girl Mode podcast. When she isn’t talking games she can be found on Bluesky rooting for the New York Mets.