The Play Versus Story Divide in Game Studies - (Studies in Gaming) by Matthew Wilhelm Kapell (Paperback)

About the Book

"This collection of new essays critically frames that debate and urges game scholars to consider it central to the field. The contributors examine various digital games, assessing the applicability of play versus narrative approaches or considering the failure of each"--

Book Synopsis

Since the emergence of digital game studies, a number of debates have engaged scholars. The debate between ludic (play) and narrative (story) paradigms remains the one that famously "never happened."

This collection of new essays critically frames that debate and urges game scholars to consider it central to the field. The essayists examine various digital games, assessing the applicability of play-versus-narrative approaches or considering the failure of each. The essays reflect the broader history while applying notions of play and story to recent games in an attempt to propel serious analysis.

Review Quotes

"focused essays on a wide variety of games...uesful and readable models"-Choice; "excellent"-Press Start; "This volume is both a polemic and entirely pragmatic. Kapell's offerings resurrect a dispute most games scholars pretend never happened and makes a convincing argument for not only revisiting but sustaining debate. The twelve new essays presented, grounded in game studies and propelled by insights from other fields, are exemplary. This is essential reading."-Gerald Voorhees, University of Waterloo

About the Author

Matthew Wilhelm Kapell teaches American studies, anthropology, and writing at Pace University in New York.