Understanding Digital Games

Jason Rutter & Jo Bryce (eds)

Sage
ISBN: 1-4129-0034-4 (Paperback) £19.99
ISBN: 1-4129-0033-6 (Cloth) £60.00
272 pages
April 2006

The study of Digital Games is a lively area of research and theorising which draws upon perspectives from a range of disciplines including sociology, psychology, media and film studies, economics and business, gender studies and computer science. "Understanding Digital Games" brings them all together to offer a unique survey in this emerging field.

Detailing both theoretical and empirical approaches the book is divided into three parts, looking in turn at: History and Production, Theories and Approach and Key Debates. Each chapter looks at the key scholars, analytical tools and themes and reviews a broad range of literature in order to demonstrate their relevance to the study of digital games.

Illustrated with many examples all chapters include:

Breakout boxes defining key terms
A chapter- specific bibliography
A list of useful web sites

Potential limitations and problems associated with particular theoretical or methodological approaches are considered.

The collection's emphasis is on providing a single comprehensive text for students and other readers new to the study of digital games. The text is organised so the each chapter can be read individually or sequentially on order to build a complete overview of the filed.

This book will be essential reading for all students of digital media.

Understanding Digital Games: An Introduction
Jo Bryce and Jason Rutter
(This sample chapter is available free online)

PART ONE: HISTORY AND PRODUCTION

A History of Digital Games
John Kirriemuir

The Business of Making Digital Games
Aphra Kerr

Economics of Digital Games
Alberto Alvisi

A Player-centred Approach to Digital Game Design
Jonathan Sykes

PART TWO: THEORIES AND APPROACHES

Literary Theory and Digital Games
Julian Kücklich

Cultural Studies and Digital Games
Garry Crawford and Jason Rutter

Film Studies and Digital Games
Geoff King and Tanya Krzywinska

Digital Games as New Media
Seth Giddings and Helen Kennedy

Community, Identity and Digital Games
Martin Hand and Karenza Moore

PART THREE: KEY DEBATES

Digital Games and Gender
Jo Bryce and Jason Rutter

Digital Games and the Violence Debate
Jo Bryce and Jason Rutter

Digital Games in Education
Timothy Dumbleton and John Kirriemuir

Understanding Digital Games
Jason Rutter & Jo Bryce (eds)
Sage
ISBN: 1-4129-0034-4 (Paperback) £19.99
ISBN: 1-4129-0033-6 (Cloth) £60.00
272 pages
April 2006

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