Game Studies
Introduction to the interdisciplinary study of videogames as texts through an examination of their cultural, educational, and social functions in contemporary settings. Students play and analyze videogames while reading current research and theory from a variety of sources in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and industry. Assignments focus on game analysis in the context of the theories discussed in class. Includes regular reading, writing, and presentation exercises. No prior programming experience required. Students taking graduate version complete additional assignments. Limited to 20.
Fall 2011 · Introduction to Videogame Studies
This course offers an introduction to the interdisciplinary study of videogames as texts through an examination of their cultural, educational, and social functions in contemporary settings. Students play and analyze videogames while reading current research and theory from a variety of sources in the sciences, social sciences, humanities, and industry. Assignments focus on game analysis in the context of the theories discussed in class. Class meetings involve regular reading, writing, and presentation exercises. No prior programming experience required. Students taking the graduate version complete additional assignments.
Readings
- WEEK #: 2 · SES #: 2 · TOPICS: Defining Games · READINGS: Huizinga, John. Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture. Roy Press, 1955. (Humanitas, Beacon Reprints in Humanities). ISBN: 9780807046814.
- Galloway, Alexander R. “Gaming Action, Four Moments.” In Gaming: Essays On Algorithmic Culture . 1st ed. University of Minnesota Press, 2006. ISBN: 9780816648504.
- Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály. Chapters 3 and 4 in Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience . Harper & Row, 1990.
- WEEK #: 13 · SES #: Identity · TOPICS: Turkle, S. Chapter 7 in Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet . Simon & Schuster, 1997. ISBN: 9780684833484. · READINGS: Persona vs. Avatar vs. Player Character
- Consalvo, M., and T. Harper. “The Sexi(e)st of all: Avatars, Gender, and Online Games.” In Virtual Social Networks: Mediated, Massive and Multiplayer Sites . Edited by Panteli. Palgrave-Macmillan, 2009, pp. 98–113. ISBN: 9780230229280.
- Frasca, Gonzalo. “Simulation versus Narrative: Introduction to Ludology.” In The Video Game Theory Reader . Edited by Mark J. P. Wolf and Bernard Perron. Routledge, 2003, pp. 221–37. ISBN: 9780415965798.
Prerequisites & course information
Subject meets with CMS.841 Prereq: None U (Fall) 3-3-6 units. HASS-H
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027
- MIT OpenCourseWare ↗Fall 2011
- MIT OCW readings ↗
- MIT OCW syllabus ↗
- Historical MIT OpenCourseWare offering. Named reading entries and schedule topics are automatically extracted from the linked source pages.