Thinking about Video Games: Interviews with the Experts

by David S. Heineman

Overview

The growth in popularity and complexity of video games has spurred new interest in how games are developed and in the research and technology behind them. David Heineman brings together some of the most iconic, influential, and interesting voices from across the gaming industry and asks them to weigh in on the past, present, and future of video games. Among them are legendary game designers Nolan Bushnell (Pong) and Eugene Jarvis (Defender), who talk about their history of innovations from the earliest days of the video game industry through to the present; contemporary trailblazers Kellee Santiago (Journey) and Casey Hudson (Mass Effect), who discuss contemporary relationships between those who create games and those who play them; and scholars Ian Bogost (How to Do Things With Videogames) and Edward Castronova (Exodus to the Virtual World), who discuss how to research and write about games in ways that engage a range of audiences. These experts and others offer fascinating perspectives on video games, game studies, gaming culture, and the game industry more broadly.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780253017154
Publisher:	Indiana University Press
Publication date:	08/03/2015
Series:	Digital Game Studies
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 3.10(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

David S. Heineman is Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction
Section 1: Games and History
Introduction to Section 1
1. Nolan Bushnell: Learning from the Past
2. Chris Melissinos: Art and Video Games
3. Eugene Jarvis: Games and Design
4. Henry Lowood: Archiving and Games
Section 2: Games and Economy
Introduction to Section 2
5. Ed Fries: The Economics and Politics of a Launch
6. Kellee Santiago: Independent Game Development
7. Chris Grant: Games and Press
8. Edward Castronova: Games, Economics, and Policies
Section 3: Games and Culture
Introduction to Section 3
9. Jamie Dillion: Gamers, Community, and Charity
10. Casey Hudson: Games and Emotion
11. Ian Bogost: Anxieties, Procedures, and Game Studies
Conclusion
Notes
Works Cited
Participants
Index

What People are Saying About This

"A collection of interviews with a who's who of video game authorities crackling with insight into the medium's past, present, and future...what a great book! David S. Heineman's conversations reveal the many dimensions of games as technology, industry, and popular  art. This is sure to be essential reading to a wide audience of players, makers, and critics of one of our century's most defining forms of cultural expression. "

Michael Newman]]>

A collection of interviews with a who's who of video game authorities crackling with insight into the medium's past, present, and future...what a great book! David S. Heineman's conversations reveal the many dimensions of games as technology, industry, and popular  art. This is sure to be essential reading to a wide audience of players, makers, and critics of one of our century's most defining forms of cultural expression. 

Michael Newman

A collection of interviews with a who's who of video game authorities crackling with insight into the medium's past, present, and future...what a great book! David S. Heineman's conversations reveal the many dimensions of games as technology, industry, and popular  art. This is sure to be essential reading to a wide audience of players, makers, and critics of one of our century's most defining forms of cultural expression. 

Editorial Reviews

"This worthwhile read is for any gamer, or for anyone interested in this cultural phenomenon; it will make you think critically about video games."—Library Journal (Starred Review)

"A collection of interviews with a who's who of video game authorities crackling with insight into the medium's past, present, and future...what a great book! David S. Heineman's conversations reveal the many dimensions of games as technology, industry, and popular  art. This is sure to be essential reading to a wide audience of players, makers, and critics of one of our century's most defining forms of cultural expression."—Michael Newman, author of Video Revolutions: On the History of a Medium

From the Publisher

★ 06/15/2015
Heineman (coauthor, Rhetoric Online) offers a series of interviews with a wide variety of stakeholders in the video game industry such as Atari, Inc. founder Nolan Bushnell and game designer Eugene Jarvis. Each discussion covers a lot of ground, including the early history of gaming and the need for documenting it; the economics of gaming past, present, and future; and recent issues surrounding race, gender, and sexuality in gaming and the broader culture. By touching on an array of topics the author succeeds in painting a vivid picture without going too in-depth on any given subject. Before each conversation Heineman thoroughly introduces the topic and the interviewee, providing context for those unfamiliar with the industry, specifically its jargon and issues. Certain interviewees are less eloquent than others, and the exchanges can suffer as a result. Overall, the tone is academic in nature, with terms such as game studies being common. VERDICT This worthwhile read is for any gamer, or for anyone interested in this cultural phenomenon; it will make you think critically about video games.—Lewis Parsons, Sawyer Free Lib., Gloucester, MA

Library Journal