ABSTRACT

The Video Game Industry provides a platform for the research on the video game industry to draw a coherent and informative picture of this industry. Previously this has been done sparsely through conference papers, research articles, and popular science books. Although the study of this industry is still stigmatized as frivolous and ‘only’ game oriented, those who grew up with video games are changing things, especially research agendas, the acceptance of studies, and their interpretation.

This book describes and defines video games as their own special medium. They are not pinball from which they grew, nor movies which they sometimes resemble. They are a unique form of entertainment based on meaningful interactions between individuals and machine across a growing sector of the population. The Video Game Industry provides a reference foundation for individuals seriously interested in the industry at the academic level. As a result, this book will serve as a reference in curricula associated with video game development for years to come.

part |81 pages

The Nature of the Industry

part |57 pages

Geographical Comparisons

part |63 pages

Effects of the Industry

chapter 8|22 pages

Console Hardware

The Development of Nintendo Wii

chapter 9|19 pages

“Warm and Stuffy”

The Ecological Impact of Electronic Games

chapter 10|20 pages

Gamification as the Post-Modern Phalanstere

Is the Gamification Playing with Us or Are We Playing with Gamification?