Videogames, Media and Industry

Videogames are one of the biggest entertainment forms of the 21st century, but what does it mean to think of them as a distinct and meaningful medium? How do we conceive of the hybrid and messy assemblage of media forms, socio-cultural context and industry that make up what we think of as ‘videogames’? Through a media studies and game studies lens, this subject will encourage students to think critically about what videogames are, what they can do and the globalised multi-billion dollar industry that produces them. Each week, students will be introduced to a new way of thinking about videogames, alongside key case studies that will help expand student’s understanding of the complex variety of factors that make up videogames as a medium and field.