Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Is it in the Game? Reconsidering play spaces, game definitions, theming and sports videogames

Crawford, G

Is it in the Game? Reconsidering play spaces, game definitions, theming and sports videogames Thumbnail


Authors



Abstract

From the very first days of digital gaming, sport-themed videogames have been a constant and ever-popular presence. However, compared with many other genres of games, sports-themed videogames have remained relatively under-research. Using the case of ‘sports videogames’ this paper advocates a critical and located approach to understanding videogames and gameplay. Unlike many existing theorisations of gameplay, such as the ‘magic circle’ (Huizinga 1949 [1938]), which theorise play as a break from ordinary life, this paper argues for a consideration of play as a continuation of ‘the control of the established order’ (Lefebvre (1991 [1974]: 383). It argues that many videogames, and in particular sports videogames, can be understood as ‘themed’ spaces; which share similarities to other themed locations, such as fast-food restaurants and theme parks. These are ‘non-places’ (Augé 1995) themed to provide a sense of individuality, control and escape in a society that increasingly offers none.

Citation

Crawford, G. (2015). Is it in the Game? Reconsidering play spaces, game definitions, theming and sports videogames. Games and Culture, 10(6), 571-592. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412014566235

Journal Article Type Article
Online Publication Date Jan 19, 2015
Publication Date Nov 1, 2015
Deposit Date Feb 20, 2015
Publicly Available Date Apr 5, 2016
Journal Games and Culture
Print ISSN 1555-4120
Electronic ISSN 1555-4139
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 10
Issue 6
Pages 571-592
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412014566235
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1555412014566235
Related Public URLs http://www.uk.sagepub.com/journals/Journal201757

Files






You might also like



Downloadable Citations