Do Video Games Matter? Examining Video Games’ Pathways to Legitimacy and Cultural Value Through Cultural Intermediaries

Gislam, Charlotte; Crawford, Garry; Bagnall, Gaynor; Gosling, Victoria; Yodovich, Neta

Abstract

After years on the fringe of our cultural and social life, video games are becoming more recognized as legitimate and culturally valuable. This paper examines the process of their legitimation through the role of ‘cultural intermediaries’, who frame video games as meaningful cultural artifacts. Drawing on Bourdieu’s theories, this paper explores how external cultural institutions legitimize video games and how cross-media pollination further reinforces their cultural status. By analyzing how broader industries have integrated and contextualized video games within their own domains, this paper highlights how video games contribute to cultural production and are gradually being positioned within established cultural hierarchies.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 28, 2025
• Deposit Date: Apr 28, 2025
• Journal: Games and Culture
• Print ISSN: 1555-4120
• Electronic ISSN: 1555-4139
• Publisher: SAGE Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed