Games are changing how we create, mediate, and understand our world. This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary field of game studies with a media studies and design focus. Students will read research, play games, analyze games, and think through game design. Students will also examine issues facing gaming culture. A survey of subjects will describe the foundational theories of the field, identities and game culture, and implications/effects of gameplay. Topics to be explored include disability, education and games, cheating, sexuality and games, narratives, addiction, news games, and violence.
We will study a selection of texts drawing from a diverse array of fields including media theory, code and platform studies, critical race studies, visual culture, art and art history, gender studies, cinema studies, queer studies, and performance studies. The course will be based on rigorous conversations and presentations separated into different weekly topics. On top of reading, we will be forming play groups to play games and analyze them through the topical lenses based on the theory we read to critically engage with game cultures using the language and method of game studies.
We will study a selection of texts drawing from a diverse array of fields including media theory, code and platform studies, critical race studies, visual culture, art and art history, gender studies, cinema studies, queer studies, and performance studies. The course will be based on rigorous conversations and presentations separated into different weekly topics. On top of reading, we will be forming play groups to play games and analyze them through the topical lenses based on the theory we read to critically engage with game cultures using the language and method of game studies.
- Professor: Michael Luo