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A Framework for Analyzing Digital Game Cultures Comparatively

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A Framework for Analyzing Digital Game Cultures Comparatively Media and Communication (ISSN: 2183–2439) 2018, Volume 6, Issue 2, Pages 80–89 DOI: 10.17645/mac.v6i2.1330 Article Games without Frontiers: A Framework for Analyzing Digital Game Cultures Comparatively Ahmed Elmezeny * and Jeffrey Wimmer Institute of Media, Knowledge and Communication, University of Augsburg, 86159 Augsburg, Germany; E-Mails: [email protected] (A.E.), [email protected] (J.W.) * Corresponding author Submitted: 28 December 2017 | Accepted: 14 March 2018 | Published: 7 June 2018 Abstract Currently in game studies there is a gap in frameworks for comparatively researching game cultures. This is a serious short- coming as it ignores the transcultural and transnational aspects of games, play and their cultures. Based on Hepp’s (2009) transcultural framework, and Du Gay, Hall, Janes, Mackay and Negus’s (1997) circuit of culture, this article proposes a structure to comparatively analyze game cultures. This procedural method comprises several steps determining specific contexts of game culture and their categories for comparison. Each step is illustrated with a case example. Finally, we rec- ommend placing game cultures on a transnational spectrum, which helps in suggesting that many digital games express both local and international characteristics. Keywords comparative analysis; game culture; game studies; mediatization; transculturality; transnationality Issue This article is part of the issue “Games Matter? Current Theories and Studies on Digital Games”, edited by Julia Kneer (Eras- mus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands) and Ruud Jacobs (University of Twente, The Netherlands). © 2018 by the authors; licensee Cogitatio (Lisbon, Portugal). This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribu- tion 4.0 International License (CC BY). 1. Introduction Game cultures are neither totally national nor global, retaining some qualities from both classifications. This The area of games studies is robust after extensive re- can be observed in nationally appropriated game cul- search has been conducted in the past couple of years. tures of a certain game. For instance, members of the Game cultures are usually studied and documented in- FIFA game culture in Germany share certain characteris- dependently, whether in an explorative approach like tics with FIFA gamers in the UK. This assumes that FIFA Taylor’s ethnography of EverQuest (2006), or in observ- game culture is not really a global culture manifesting the ing specific social arrangements like Jakobsson’s study of same way everywhere in the world and neither is it com- Smash Bros. console clubs (2007). When analyzing digital pletely localized. The overall FIFA game culture has cer- games and their cultures, it is important to consider their tain qualities shared by several localized game cultures transnational aspects, due to growing rates of online play worldwide, while still having specific characteristics that where national boundaries are becoming less relevant. only manifest locally. This assumption applies to a mul- This growing international importance of games is mainly titude of other game cultures, whether single or multi- attributed to the processes of globalization and digital- player, offline or online. With lightning-fast Internet me- ization, since individuals are no longer limited to playing diated communication, game cultures today are experi- with their immediate social circles, but instead are con- enced globally, but the interesting question is: how far stantly communicating and playing with others around they are truly “global” or appropriated by national sub- the globe. cultures. We are quick to assume that if games are experi- Media and Communication, 2018, Volume 6, Issue 2, Pages 80–89 80 enced by multiple game communities in different nations 2. Digital Game Cultures from a Theoretical Perspective then they are international or vice-versa. Hence, it is im- portant to examine how global or local these cultures are, Shaw (2010) published an article investigating the def- and what drives these characteristics. inition of game culture. She surveyed academic litera- Currently there is a research gap in comparative ture and mainstream press to provide a concrete defini- game studies. This is a serious shortcoming as it ig- tion but instead provides several based on: who plays, nores the transnational aspects of games, play, and their what they play, or how they play. Today, the situation is specific cultures. The experience of individual gaming not much different. Academics utilize various definitions in local, everyday contexts is structurally connected to based on the specific context of their research. Heuris- a transnational and highly commodified game system tically, there are different levels of complexity concern- (Šisler, Švelch, & Šlerka, 2017). Games (unlike other types ing digital gaming. These could be arranged on a contin- of media) are a hybrid of communication and entertain- uum between game and society, from the micro to the ment, with unique societal influences and a significant macro level, without implying a certain hierarchy or spe- impact on the formation of individual identities (Hand cific determinism. For our framework, we provide a sys- & Moore, 2006). Digital games are entertainment appli- tem for defining game cultures based on the reassess- cations of digital media that comprise specific qualities, ment of other game cultures and broader media cultures. especially characteristics of interactivity and simulation. This falls in line with Mäyrä’s suggested explanation of Gaming encompasses an object (medium), as well as mul- game culture: “rather than a single ‘game culture,’ there tiple forms of computer-mediated and face-to-face com- are several of them, as visible and invisible sense-making munication (ranging from interpersonal to “let’s plays” structures that surface not only in games themselves, and mass media communication). Researchers looking at but in the language, practices and sensibilities adopted game cultures not only have to pay attention to game re- and developed by groups and individuals” (2006, p. 103). lated dimensions, but also increasingly to real-world con- Of course, the boundaries between different game cul- texts, due to the advanced possibilities of online gaming. tures are not fixed (as each form of media culture does Van Looy (2010) hints at the importance of other con- not have fixed borders). Thus, determining how far digi- texts when questioning if there is more than just forms tal games are integrated in everyday life of gamers, and of play connecting games and society. what social network structures or participative actions While Hepp (2009) developed a framework for the they create, is crucial. These issues are gaining rapidly in comparative study of media cultures, the simple applica- importance because of the increasing potential of digital tion of this framework to game cultures is not sufficient. games for connectivity, interactivity and collaboration on Game cultures require certain additional aspects to be a global scale. addressed, which are unique to this medium and do not While both academics and mainstream discourse de- apply to other media cultures; like defining game culture fine game culture heterogeneously (Shaw, 2010), we sug- on a micro, meso or macro level. We propose a procedu- gest that game culture can be differentiated based on ral method for the comparative study of game cultures to macro, meso or micro characteristics (see Table 1). When address these gaps. Our suggested analytical framework defining game cultures on the micro level, the approach gives researchers a protocol to follow in order to provide acknowledges the culture of one specific game or com- both a holistic and detailed study. munity. For example, a study can focus on a specific Still, why study games and their cultures compar- game, such as the game culture(s) of World of Warcraft atively? Finding commonalities and differences within or Super Smash Brothers. Or by locality, such as the game game cultures from different countries (or even games) culture of a specific community in a town or city. Or helps explore the idea that game cultures are not bound even as a combination of both these aspects, such as the by national (or non-territorial) borders but instead exist World of Warcraft game culture in Germany. Examples of as a global, united subculture. Certain game cultures can studies defining game culture on the micro level, and ac- even be described as a cultural cross section, similar to cordingly investigating them as such, are abundant. Re- folk, high and urban cultures. However, more than just search looking at specific phenomena in World of War- assessing the global or local aspects of game cultures, craft is plentiful, like Prax (2010) who looks at leadership studying them allows us to look at specific characteris- styles in guild raids, Brown (2011) who observes cheating tics that relate to superordinate processes such as indi- and erotic role-players, or Sheng-Yi, Yu-Han and Chuen- vidualization, globalization, commercialization and medi- Tsai (2012) who study multiple character management atization (Hutchins, 2008; Simon, 2006). This article will of World of Warcraft gamers. first highlight and define the basic elements of the frame- Characterizing game cultures on the meso level en- work: defining what game cultures are, their contexts, tails finding common aspects or features that span differ- and transculturality as a perspective. Then, we
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