Sociology of electronic games
a new (and necessary) field of social research
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5433/2237-9126.2023v17n33p203Keywords:
Sociology, Electronic games, Social research, Culture, SocietyAbstract
The video game industry has seen massive growth over the past two decades. It is estimated that, currently, about 40% of the world's population plays frequently on at least one type of device – among younger people, this percentage more than doubles. The revenues moved globally by video game players are greater than the revenues generated by the film and music markets combined. This data reveals that video games are at the heart of the entertainment industry. However, although they are rapidly growing media, which connect billions of people around the world, being the main cultural reference for contemporary youth, electronic games have not yet received due attention from sociologists. The purpose of this article is precisely to investigate the reasons behind sociology's little interest in the universe of video games. More than that, the argument is defended that, considering the various social, symbolic, ideological aspects, the power relations, in short, that permeate video games, it becomes fundamental to develop a subfield of sociological thought dedicated to the investigation of electronic games.
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