The Current State of the Game Studies

1
The Current State of the Game Studies
Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen, Ph.d student
IT-University Copenhagen, Denmarkemail
sen_at_it-c.dk www.game-research.com
To draw a parallel with the history of art,
videogames are, at the very least, still waiting
for photography to be invented, perhaps even for
the Renaissance to happen. EDGE (DEC. 1999)
2
Historical roots

• 1980s The start
• Research into beneficial and especially harmful
  effects. Triggered by the growing popularity of
  computer games.
• The majority of research resources go into
  answering questions like
• Do computer games increase aggression, violence,
  asocial behaviour etc?
• Do computer games support stereotyped gender
  perception?
• 1990s The seed is sown
• Research broadens with academics flocking from
  all disciplines, the numbers increasing up
  through the 1990s with conferences, magazines,
  courses and web-sites popping up.
• The focus of the research is broadening with
  every given subject with the slightest connection
  to computer games applying their own theories to
  the field.
• 2000 The field is growing
• A beginning qualification and specialization of
  the field through university courses, basic
  framework and establishment of peer-reviewed
  magazines.
• The focus of research is still controlled by
  researchers early academic training but times are
  changing.

3
Ludology vs. Narratology
A good example of the historical development of
the research into computer games. Have fought
fierce battles each heavily induced by their
background academic training Ludology games
are all about play. Narratology games are all
about narratives. The narratologist claiming
the Myst was the game of all times while
ludologist pointed to the massive success of
Tetris. In the end the positions only
demonstrated that computer games are a highly
fragmented research area with a a lot of very
different genres. Each have to been studied as a
computer game!
Myst
Tetris
4
Current areas
Areas are beginning to crystallize - important
point is that the distinctions are made on the
basis of game research, and not fitted into
existing research areas. The Effects of Games
(psychology, education, social,
ethnography,...) Game aesthetics (narrative,
interactivity, visual aspects, art, , design,
language, themes/genres...) Cultural issues of
Games(gender, identity, violence, ideology,
communities, nationality, regulations...) Gamepla
y(definitions of games, structure, time,
multiplayer, platforms, case studies...) Construc
tion(programming, AI, project management,
audio...) Business perspective (revenue
streams, distribution, marketing, user groups,
penetration)
Source Inspired by Susana Tosca (2002)
5
The road ahead
Game studies have gone from a questionable and
small research area to a modern research theme -
researchers flocking around this "new" exciting
area. Next step will be to to identify
sub-areas, focus the research efforts and make
sure that computer games are the starting point,
rather than a way to legitimize your own research
area. The foundation for a separate and unique
research area is being laid down now with the new
Digital International Game Research Association
(Digra) and the peer-reviewed magazine
Game-studies.
If Citizen Kane took place in the twenty-first
century, Orson Wells would be sighing, Mario!
instead of Rosebud. J. C. HERZ