Playing Utopia - Futures in Digital Games

Media narratives inform our ideas of the future - and Games are currently making a significant contribution to this medial reservoir. On the one hand, Games demonstrate a particular propensity for fantastic and futuristic scenarios. On the other hand, they often serve as an experimental field for the latest media technologies. However, while dystopias are part of the standard gaming repertoire, Games feature utopias much less frequently. Why?
This anthology examines playful utopias from two perspectives. It investigates utopias in digital Games as well as utopias of the digital game; that is, the role of ludic elements in scenarios of the future.

About the author

Benjamin Beil ist Professur für Medienwissenschaft mit Schwerpunkt Digitalkulturen am Institut für Medienkultur und Theater der Universität zu KölnGundolf S. Freyermuth (Prof. Dr.) ist Professor für »Media and Game Studies« und Co-Director des Cologne Game Lab an der TH Köln. Außerdem ist er außerordentlicher Professor für Vergleichende Medienwissenschaften an der ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln.Hanns Christian Schmidt is a professor for Game Design at Macromedia University for Applied Sciences (Cologne) and a research assistant at the Institute of Media Culture and Theater at the University of Cologne.

Summary

Media narratives inform our ideas of the future – and Games are currently making a significant contribution to this medial reservoir. On the one hand, Games demonstrate a particular propensity for fantastic and futuristic scenarios. On the other hand, they often serve as an experimental field for the latest media technologies. However, while dystopias are part of the standard gaming repertoire, Games feature utopias much less frequently. Why?This anthology examines playful utopias from two perspectives. It investigates utopias in digital Games as well as utopias of the digital game; that is, the role of ludic elements in scenarios of the future.

Additional text

Besprochen in:https://bethechangenorthpenn.blogspot.com, 15.11.2022

Report

Besprochen in:
https://bethechangenorthpenn.blogspot.com, 15.11.2022

Product details

• Authors: Benjamin Beil, Gundolf S. Freyermuth
• Assisted by: Benjamin Beil (Editor), Hanns Christian Schmidt (Editor), Gundolf S. Freyermuth (Editor), Gundol S Freyermuth (Editor), Gundolf S Freyermuth (Editor), Schmidt (Editor), Hanns Christian Schmidt (Editor)
• Publisher: Transcript
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2019
• EAN: 9783837650501
• ISBN: 978-3-8376-5050-1
• No. of pages: 332
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 225 mm x 23 mm
• Weight: 498 g
• Illustrations: 26 SW-Abb., 17 Farbabb.
• Series: Bild und Bit. Studien zur digitalen Medienkultur; Studies of Digital Media Culture (COL); Studies of Digital Media Culture
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Humanities (general); Social sciences, law, business > Media, communication > Media science; Spiel, Politik, Sozialwissenschaften, Soziologie, Media, Media Studies, Popular Culture, Digital Media, Media Aesthetics, Utopia, Future, Social interaction, Internet / Politik, Gesellschaft, Knowledge, Computer Games, Future; Playfulness; Media; Popular Culture; Computer Games; Media Aesthetics; Digital Media; Media Studies, auseinandersetzen, Playfulness, Culture and institutions, Computer art (Digital art)