
Game Studies
A Critical Introduction to the Field
Polity Press
1st Edition
Published on 20. March 2026
Book
Hardback
304 pages
978-1-5095-6378-4 (ISBN)
Description
From Among Us to Minecraft, Catan to Dungeons and Dragons, games and play are fundamentally transforming how we understand storytelling, education, identity, politics, and creativity.
Game Studies provides the first ever critical and comprehensive introduction for navigating this complex, interdisciplinary, and rapidly growing research field. Each chapter introduces a timely area of debate in games research, and addresses critical questions about the social, cultural, and economic aspects of games and the people who play and make them. Combining key theoretical frameworks with case studies of influential games, the book equips readers with the tools needed to engage critically with games and their growing cultural significance.
Full of concrete examples and pedagogical features, Game Studies offers a highly accessible and urgently needed guide to this rapidly expanding, hotly contested, and culturally significant field. It is essential reading for students of both media studies and game design, and an important resource for scholars, developers, and players.
Game Studies provides the first ever critical and comprehensive introduction for navigating this complex, interdisciplinary, and rapidly growing research field. Each chapter introduces a timely area of debate in games research, and addresses critical questions about the social, cultural, and economic aspects of games and the people who play and make them. Combining key theoretical frameworks with case studies of influential games, the book equips readers with the tools needed to engage critically with games and their growing cultural significance.
Full of concrete examples and pedagogical features, Game Studies offers a highly accessible and urgently needed guide to this rapidly expanding, hotly contested, and culturally significant field. It is essential reading for students of both media studies and game design, and an important resource for scholars, developers, and players.
Reviews / Votes
"Game Studies offers an up-to-date, accessible, holistic, and yet nuanced introduction to this vast interdisciplinary field. It is the book all game educators have been waiting for, and should be read by everyone who engages in games research."Adrienne Shaw, Temple University
"Informative and inspiring, this book is a comprehensive guide, serving well anyone starting their academic adventures in game studies. It opens solid pathways and helps the reader to avoid many pitfalls present in this field of research."
Frans Maeyrae, Tampere University
"Game Studies is reflective, forward-looking, and captures the excitement of a field taking shape. It is insightful, accessible and deeply grounded, and serves as a reminder of how far the study of games has come."
Jose P. Zagal, University of Utah
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Publishing group
John Wiley and Sons Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 255 mm
Width: 178 mm
Thickness: 32 mm
Weight
680 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5095-6378-4 (9781509563784)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
05/2026
1st Edition
Wiley-Scrivener
€18.99
Available for download

Book
03/2026
1st Edition
Polity Press
€24.00
Shipment within 15-20 days
Persons
Brendan Keogh is Associate Professor in the School of Communication at the Queensland University of Technology.
Mahli-Ann Butt is Lecturer in Cultural Studies at the University of Melbourne.
Marcus Carter is Professor in Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Sydney.
Mahli-Ann Butt is Lecturer in Cultural Studies at the University of Melbourne.
Marcus Carter is Professor in Human-Computer Interaction at the University of Sydney.
Author
Queensland University of Technology, Australia
University of Melbourne, Australia
University of Sydney, Australia
Content
List of figures
Acknowledgements
1. Welcome to game studies
2. How games mean
3. How games persuade
4. Playing with games
5. Breaking the rules
6. Beyond gamer culture
7. Playing together
8. Decentering the player
9. Playing globally
10. Making games
11. The games industry
Notes
References
Index
Acknowledgements
1. Welcome to game studies
2. How games mean
3. How games persuade
4. Playing with games
5. Breaking the rules
6. Beyond gamer culture
7. Playing together
8. Decentering the player
9. Playing globally
10. Making games
11. The games industry
Notes
References
Index