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Game Studies Review

Game Studies Review

By Alex Layne

With so many new articles coming out each month, who has time to read them all? Join Dr. Alex Layne and Dr. Cody Reimer as we cover one article in the academic field of Game Studies in 20 minutes or less on each episode (or at least we try!). Maybe you’re an academic looking for a way to stay current in the field while also spending time on the treadmill. Maybe you’re an avid gamer and theorycrafter working on expanding your knowledge of game studies. Either way, listen in and listen up.
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Review of Treacherous Play by Marcus Carter

Game Studies ReviewMay 23, 2022

00:00
31:53
Review of Keogh and Hardwick's "Creative, Technical, Entrepreneurial: Formative Tensions in Game Development Higher Education."

Review of Keogh and Hardwick's "Creative, Technical, Entrepreneurial: Formative Tensions in Game Development Higher Education."

Brendan Keogh and Taylor Hardwick. (2023). “Creative, Technical, Entrepreneurial: Formative Tensions in Game Development Higher Education.” Games and Culture.

Jun 24, 202335:55
Review of Fois's “But First, Let’s Jam: A New Materialist Twist on the Ontology of Play.”

Review of Fois's “But First, Let’s Jam: A New Materialist Twist on the Ontology of Play.”

Loretta Fois (2022). “But First, Let’s Jam: A New Materialist Twist on the Ontology of Play.” American Journal of Play 14.3.

May 16, 202327:03
Review of Anderson and Cullen's "Failing to See a Difference: Closing a Gender Gap in a Challenging Video Game"

Review of Anderson and Cullen's "Failing to See a Difference: Closing a Gender Gap in a Challenging Video Game"

Anderson, C. and A. Cullen. 2023. Failing to See a Difference: Closing a Gender Gap in a Challenging Video Game. Games and Culture 0(0) (online early access)

May 02, 202320:48
Review of Eco by Strange Loop Games

Review of Eco by Strange Loop Games

Check out our latest review, this time of a game called Eco by Strange Loop Games. Eco is an online multiplayer collaborative game which casts players as citizens grappling with ethical, technological, civic, economic, and cultural tensions.


Picture courtesy of Toast Machine. Toast built this public art installation from different materials, each representing one member of our neighborhood. The installation signifies each of our unique skills and tastes being weaved together to create a strong, intertwined community.

Apr 11, 202339:41
Review of Larreina-Morales's "How Accessible is this Video Game? An Analysis Tool in Two Steps"
Apr 07, 202321:02
TBT: Review of "Perspectives of Computer Game Philology" by Julian Kucklich

TBT: Review of "Perspectives of Computer Game Philology" by Julian Kucklich

Julian Kucklich. (2003). "Perspectives in Computer Game Philology." Game Studies 3.1 https://gamestudies.org/0301/kucklich/

Feb 13, 202336:23
Review of Kelly, Easpaig, and Castillo's "You Game Like a Girl: Perceptions of Gender and Competence in Gamings"

Review of Kelly, Easpaig, and Castillo's "You Game Like a Girl: Perceptions of Gender and Competence in Gamings"

Danielle Kelly, Brona Nic Giolla Easpaig, Paola Castillo. (2023). “‘You Game Like a Girl’: Perceptions of Gender and Competence in Gaming.” Games and Culture 18(1): 62-78.

Jan 13, 202322:44
Review of "Platform-produced Heteronormativity: A Content Analysis of Adult Video Games on Patreon" by Lankoski, Apperley, and Harviainen

Review of "Platform-produced Heteronormativity: A Content Analysis of Adult Video Games on Patreon" by Lankoski, Apperley, and Harviainen

Lankoski, P., Apperley, T., & Harviainen, J. T. (2023). Platform-produced Heteronormativity: A Content Analysis of Adult Videogames on Patreon. Games and Culture, 18(1), 102–123. https://doi.org/10.1177/15554120221084453

Dec 20, 202234:52
Review of Fontolan, Malazita, and da Costa's "Language, Identity, and Games: Discussing the Role of Players in Videogame Localization"

Review of Fontolan, Malazita, and da Costa's "Language, Identity, and Games: Discussing the Role of Players in Videogame Localization"

Marina Fontolan, James Wilson Malazita, Janaina Pamplona da Costa. (2022). Language, Identity and Games: Discussing the Role of Players in Videogame Localization. Game Studies 22(3).

Dec 11, 202223:32
Review of Kelly Bergstrom's "Ignoring the Blood on the Tracks: Exits and Departures from Game Studies:"

Review of Kelly Bergstrom's "Ignoring the Blood on the Tracks: Exits and Departures from Game Studies:"

Bergstrom, Kelly. “Ignoring the blood on the tracks: exits and departures from game studies.” Critical Studies in Media Communication 39:3.

Listen to our review of one of the most thought-provoking and generative articles we have reviewed so far (and one of Alex's personal favorites): Kelly Bergstrom's "Ignoring the Blood on the Tracks: Exits and Departures from Game Studies." It's worth a listen and a read.

Nov 23, 202229:31
Review of Aaron Trammell's "Decolonizing Play"

Review of Aaron Trammell's "Decolonizing Play"

Aaron Trammell (2022) Decolonizing play, Critical Studies in Media Communication, 39:3, 239-246, DOI: 10.1080/15295036.2022.2080844

Nov 07, 202222:26
Review of Alexandrina Agloro's "Another World is Possible: Building Games for Just Futures"

Review of Alexandrina Agloro's "Another World is Possible: Building Games for Just Futures"

Agloro, Alexandrina. (2022). Another World is Possible: Building Games for Just Futures. Critical Studies in Media Communication, 39:2, 165-172

Oct 24, 202229:51
Review of "The Future of Media Studies is Game Studies" by Shira Chess and Mia Consalvo

Review of "The Future of Media Studies is Game Studies" by Shira Chess and Mia Consalvo

This perspicacious editor's intro to a special issue fills Cody and I with questions, hope, and visions of the future.

Chess, S. and Consalvo, M. (2022). The future of media studies is game studies. Critical Studies in Media Communication.

Jun 14, 202224:21
Review of Treacherous Play by Marcus Carter

Review of Treacherous Play by Marcus Carter

Alex read the book, Cody didn't. Listen in as he asks all the questions you have about the awesome book, Treacherous Play, by Marcus Carter.

May 23, 202231:53
Review of "'Never Battle Alone': Egirls and the Gender(ed) War on Video Game Live Streaming as 'Real' Work" by Christine H. Tran

Review of "'Never Battle Alone': Egirls and the Gender(ed) War on Video Game Live Streaming as 'Real' Work" by Christine H. Tran

Check out our review of the BRAND NEW article by Christine Tran on Egirls, gendered work, and livestreaming. This article opens up an exciting area in need of scholarly attention and investigation. 

Tran, Christine H. (2022). “‘Never Battle Alone’: Egirls and the Gender(ed) War on Video Game Live Streaming as ‘Real’ Work.” Television & New Media 23(3)

Podcast mentioned in this episode: https://anchor.fm/techcommtalk/episodes/Social-justice-and-tech-comm--Part-2-Doing-social-justice-e1for29

Apr 04, 202225:04
Review of “There Is No Immersion: Critical Intervention through Hypermediacy in Metagames" by Sarah Thorne

Review of “There Is No Immersion: Critical Intervention through Hypermediacy in Metagames" by Sarah Thorne

Metagames, hypermediacy, and antagonistic narrators-- oh my! Listen in as Cody and I review a fabulous new article that deep dives into There Is No Game, a metagame that is both self-reflective and playful. 

Thorne, Sarah. (2021). “There Is No Immersion: Critical Intervention through Hypermediacy in Metagames.” Eludamos: Journal for Computer Game Studies 12.1.

Mar 23, 202220:11
Review of "At a Glance: Teaching, Writing, Gaming" by Colby, Johnson, and Shultz Colby

Review of "At a Glance: Teaching, Writing, Gaming" by Colby, Johnson, and Shultz Colby

Check out our super quick review for a super brief article.

Colby, Richard, Johnson, Matthew S.S., Shultz Colby, Rebekah. (2022) Colby, Richard, Johnson, Matthew S.S., Shultz Colby, Rebekah. (2022) At a Glance: Teaching, Writing, Gaming. Composition Studies 49.3.. Composition Studies 49.3.

Mar 14, 202211:39
Review of "Trans Game Studies" by Bo Ruberg

Review of "Trans Game Studies" by Bo Ruberg

Bo Ruberg, “Trans Game Studies,” JCMS 61, no. 2 (Winter 2022): 200–205.

Feb 21, 202218:01
Review of "We Are the Champions? Performing whiteness in ASCENSION: DAMN OF CHAMPIONS" by Sabine Harrer

Review of "We Are the Champions? Performing whiteness in ASCENSION: DAMN OF CHAMPIONS" by Sabine Harrer

Harrer, S. (2021). We Are the Champions? Performing whiteness in ASCENSION: DAMN OF CHAMPIONS. Simulation & Gaming, 52(5), 533-553

Feb 07, 202218:33
Review of "Gamifying Contentious Politics: Gaming Capital and Playful Resistance" by Vincent Huang and Tingting Liu

Review of "Gamifying Contentious Politics: Gaming Capital and Playful Resistance" by Vincent Huang and Tingting Liu

This article taps into many areas of interest for game scholars and community members: disruptive gaming, playful resistance, games that subvert capitalism, and ways to spread and inspire political action. Listen in!

Huang, V. G., & Liu, T. (2022). Gamifying Contentious Politics: Gaming Capital and Playful Resistance. Games & Culture, 17(1), 26–46.

Jan 24, 202222:25
Review of "Open Video Game Development and Participatory Design" by Luke Thominet

Review of "Open Video Game Development and Participatory Design" by Luke Thominet

Luke Thominet (2021) Open Video Game Development and Participatory Design, Technical Communication Quarterly, 30:4, 359-374, DOI:

10.1080/10572252.2020.1866679

Jan 19, 202232:46
Review of "White Protagonism and Imperial Pleasures in Game Design" by Meghna Jayanth
Jan 08, 202223:32
Review of "The Game of Video Game Objects: A Minimal Theory of when we see Pixels as Objects rather than Pictures" by Jesper Juul
Nov 29, 202131:01
Review of "Exploring Hybrid Gaming Cultures through Black Cyberfeminism" by Kishonna L. Gray and Brigitte Perkins

Review of "Exploring Hybrid Gaming Cultures through Black Cyberfeminism" by Kishonna L. Gray and Brigitte Perkins

Cody and Alex review a thought-provoking piece by Kishonna L. Gray and Brigitte Perkins on transformative games and Black cyberfeminism. This practical and theoretically-engaging work is exactly what you need to be reading.

Gray, Kishonna L., Perkins, Brigitte. (2021). Exploring Hybrid Gaming Cultures through Black Cyberfeminism. Footnotes 49.4. (Magazine of the American Sociological Association).

https://www.asanet.org/exploring-hybrid-gaming-cultures-through-black-cyberfeminism

Nov 01, 202109:10
Review of "Gender Moderation and Moderating Gender: Sexual Content Policies in Twitch's Community Guidelines" by Andrew Zolides

Review of "Gender Moderation and Moderating Gender: Sexual Content Policies in Twitch's Community Guidelines" by Andrew Zolides

Review of "Gender Moderation and Moderating Gender: Sexual Content Policies in Twitch's Community Guidelines" by Andrew Zolides. Zolides argues that Twitch's Community Guidelines reinforce the sexist ideological discourse within Twitch and the gaming community as well as emboldens those seeking to police women's bodies. 


Zolides, A. (2021). Gender Moderation and Moderating Gender: Sexual Content Policies in Twitch’s Community Guidelines. New Media & Society, 23(10). 2999-3015

Oct 18, 202121:54
Review of "There and Back Again: Tolkein, Gamers, and the Remediation of Exclusion through Fantasy Media" by Emma Vossen

Review of "There and Back Again: Tolkein, Gamers, and the Remediation of Exclusion through Fantasy Media" by Emma Vossen

Listen in as Cody and Alex dive into one of their favorite articles to date. This is games scholarship at its absolute best--compelling, brilliant, relevant. As Cody says in the podcast, every sentence in this article is fire.


Vossen, E. (2021). There and Back Again: Tolkein, Gamers, and the Remediation of Exclusion through Fantasy Media. Feminist Media Histories 6.1.

Oct 04, 202117:31
Review of “Ludic Ethics: The Ethical Negotiations of Players in Online Multiplayer Games" by Sparrow, Gibbs, and Arnold

Review of “Ludic Ethics: The Ethical Negotiations of Players in Online Multiplayer Games" by Sparrow, Gibbs, and Arnold

Cody and Alex review a brand new article! 

Sparrow, Lucy A., Gibbs, Martin, and Arnold, Michael. (2021). “Ludic Ethics: The Ethical Negotiations of Players in Online Multiplayer Games.” Games and Culture 16(6).

Sep 20, 202122:06
"Designing for Disability: Evaluating the State of Accessibility Design in Video Games" by Mark Brown and Sky LaRell Anderson

"Designing for Disability: Evaluating the State of Accessibility Design in Video Games" by Mark Brown and Sky LaRell Anderson

Listen in as Alex and Cody discuss "Designing for Disability: Evaluating the State of Accessibility Design in Video Games" by Mark Brown and Sky LaRell Anderson. We also talk about an email we received from Miguel Sicart in response to our recent review of his article "Playthings." Drama? Listen to find out!


Brown, Mark and Anderson, Sky LaRell. (2021). Designing for Disability: Evaluating the State of Accessibility Design in Video Games. Games and Culture 16(6).

Sep 12, 202119:58
Interview with Kat Schrier

Interview with Kat Schrier

Listen in as Alex Interviews prolific professor, game designer, and author of We the Gamers: How Games Teach Ethics and Civics: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/we-the-gamers-9780190926113?lang=en&cc=us# 

Aug 11, 202132:18
"Extracting the Pedagogy: Using Games as Texts in the Language Classroom" by Alex Hogue

"Extracting the Pedagogy: Using Games as Texts in the Language Classroom" by Alex Hogue

Listen to Alex and Cody chat about "Extracting the Pedagogy: Using Games as Texts in the Language Classroom" by Alex Hogue. Published June 7, 2021 in Analog Game Studies: https://analoggamestudies.org/2021/06/extracting-the-pedagogy-using-games-as-texts-in-the-language-classroom/

Aug 09, 202120:10
“Grades on Games: Gaming Preferences and Weekly Studying on College GPAs” By Kelsey Prena and Andrew Weaver

“Grades on Games: Gaming Preferences and Weekly Studying on College GPAs” By Kelsey Prena and Andrew Weaver

Review of “Grades on Games: Gaming Preferences and Weekly Studying on College GPAs” By Kelsey Prena and Andrew Weaver

Jul 12, 202121:33
"Playthings" by Miguel Sicart

"Playthings" by Miguel Sicart

Review of "Playthings" by Miguel Sicart, published in Games and Culture May 18, 2021

Jun 27, 202124:02
"A Typology of Imperative Game Goals" by Debus Et. Al.

"A Typology of Imperative Game Goals" by Debus Et. Al.

Debus, Michael S., Zagal, José P., Cardona-Rivera, Rogelio E. (2020). A Typology of Imperative Game Goals. Game Studies 20(3).

May 12, 202116:48
"Esports Research: A Literature Review" by Retiman Et. Al.

"Esports Research: A Literature Review" by Retiman Et. Al.

Esports Research: A Literature Review. Games and Culture 2020, Vol. 15(1) 32-50

by Jason G. Reitman, Maria J. Anderson-Coto, Minerva Wu, Je Seok Lee, and Constance Steinkuehler

May 05, 202114:41
"Replaying Video Game History as a Mixtape of Black Feminist Thought" with Samantha Blackmon

"Replaying Video Game History as a Mixtape of Black Feminist Thought" with Samantha Blackmon

An interview with acclaimed Game Studies scholar Samantha Blackmon on her recent article with TreAndrea Russworm, "Replaying Video Game History as a Mixtape of Black Feminist Thought" published in Feminist Media Histories, Vol 6 N 1. 

Apr 28, 202127:30
"Play Like a Feminist" by Shira Chess

"Play Like a Feminist" by Shira Chess

Interview with Shira Chess, author of Play Like a Feminist, published in 2020. Part of the Playful Thinking series by MIT.

Apr 21, 202136:42
"The Right Way to Play a Game" by C. Thi Nguyen

"The Right Way to Play a Game" by C. Thi Nguyen

Review of “The Right Way to Play a Game” by C. Thi Nguyen, published in Game Studies volume 19, issue 1 in May 2019

Apr 14, 202115:57
Episode Zero

Episode Zero

This episode is a short bit of background on the podcast and the host.

Apr 10, 202105:31