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Introduction To Video Game Studies Full Readings & Lecture Notes
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Video Game StudiesWeek 2
An Introduction to Game Studies Frans Mayra (Summary)
Defining game studies: Game studies is an interdisciplinary field that explores games and
plays from different perspectives, including social, cultural, psychological, and historical.
Games and Culture: Games are not created in a vacuum but are shaped by the culture and
society they are created in. Therefore, studying games can provide insight into a particular
culture's values, beliefs, and norms.
Different types of games: Games can be categorised into different types, such as digital and
non-digital games, single-player and multiplayer games, and serious games.
Game design: The process of game design involves the creation of rules and systems that
define how players interact with the game. Understanding game design is essential to
studying games and their impact on players.
Game aesthetics: Game aesthetics refer to a game's visual and auditory elements that
create an emotional response in players.
Game culture: Game culture refers to the social practices and values that emerge from
playing games, including forming gaming communities and creating game-related content.
Game studies and society: Studying games can provide insights into how technology,
culture, and society intersect and influence each other.
Game Cultures Dovey & Kennedy (Summary)
Game development: The process of designing, creating, and programming a video game.
Game design: The process of defining the rules, goals, and mechanics of a video game.
Game industry: The commercial sector is involved in producing, distributing, and selling
video games.
Indie game development: The production of video games by independent developers or
small teams, often without the financial backing of a major publisher.
,Game culture: The social and cultural practices that emerge around the consumption and
production of video games.
The chapter also explores the relationship between game production and broader cultural
and economic trends, including the impact of globalisation, changing patterns of
consumption, and the rise of digital technologies. It also examines the diverse range of
practices and communities involved in game production, from large-scale corporate studios
to grassroots game jams and modding communities. Overall, the chapter highlights the
complex and multifaceted nature of game production and the diverse cultural practices and
contexts shaping this process.
Lecture Notes
Games were seen as narratives in early game studies
When new games were being created, they cancelled this theory, even saying that games
are better without a story
ex: chess
video games started in 1970 with arcades
previously there was one dedicated machine for each game, now games can be played in
machines where many different functions converge
before games and cinema had similarities
-no narrative
-dedicated machine
-short, but you could play or watch them several times to make them longer
-done in public spaces
hardware manufacturers still have interests in making games exclusive to consoles
the first consoles were also solely dedicated to one game
televisions served as cross-mediums
independent developers helped the video game industry technologically elevate
Nintendo, Playstation, and Xbox established themselves as market leaders.
PCs are more complete for the gaming experience
Nintendo sells consoles for less money than what it costs to make them. However, then they
earn money from their customers buying from the e-shop (razor and blades model)
Compatibility: Play 5 to Play 4
Publishers
, Publishers pre-finance game projects and control developers focus on successful franchises
that support smaller indie-style ideas
publishers interface between developers, hardware manufacturers and customers
publishers can be owned by hardware creators
Publishers pre-finance game projects and control developers in this way
Developers
very high production costs, highly controlled work processes restricted creativity due to high
risks
But development studios are “highly systematised form of a new kind of global media
enterprise
The Game Industry Current developments
Steam = online distribution platform for
video games, by far, the market leader for digital PC
downloads
In December 2018, Epic launched its Epic
Game Store. A new “console war”?
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