Week 4 of the document discusses how to study videogames, including providing a brief history of videogames and examining why they should be studied. It also mentions different modes of analyzing videogames. Week 5 will cover topics related to play, leisure and work, while Week 6 will discuss whether videogames represent a radical culture.

1. Week Four:
How
to
study
a
videogame.

2. Week Four:
How
- Brief history to
study
- Why study a a
videogame? videogame.
- Modes of
analysis

3. Week Five:
Play, leisure,
and work

4. Week Six:
A radical
culture?

8. Tennis For Two (William Higinbotham, 1958

15. Corporations
Amateurs /
Non-
professionals
Scientists / Students / Academics
Military
1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

16. Who plays games? How much are they
worth?
93% of households
$1.7 billion
63% of which have a console
in Australia in 2010
32 is the average age of an
Australian gamer US$75 billion
Context globally
and they have been playing for
more than
12 years
more than the music and film industries
combined
Avatar took $2.7 billion at the box office
but
World of Warcraft has made +$1 billion
47% female 53% male every year since 2004
Source: Digital Australia Report 2012 (Bond University)

17. Why study videogames?

20. Videogames and theory

21. Videogames can be:
texts
designs
systems
actions
situations

23. Linear formalism
start finish
Story ≠ plot
intro climax
exposition
denouement

31. start
finish

32. 1
2
3
4
5

39. Videogames can be:
texts
designs
systems
actions
situations

44. Videogames can be:
texts
designs
systems
actions
situations

49. Videogames can be:
texts
designs
systems
actions
situations

53. A diversion:
Play?

54. Videogames can be:
texts
designs
systems
actions
situations

58. Videogames can be:
texts
designs
systems
actions
situations