Extending Play to Critical Media Studies. (November 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Trammell, Aaron; Gilbert, Anne
• Other Names: Trammell Aaron guest-editor.; Gilbert Anne guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Games and culture. Volume 9:Number 6(2014)
• Page Start: 391
• Page End: 405
• Publication Date: 2014-11
• Subjects: Media Studies -- Game Studies -- Affect -- Critical Theory -- Play; Games -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Video games -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Computer games -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Interactive multimedia -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 303.4834
• DOI: 10.1177/1555412014549301
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1555-4120

Abstract

This essay fosters a dialogue between game studies and critical media studies. By taking Slender Man as its object of study, it argues that play should be understood as a disposition toward media. It suggests a new critical vocabulary for this approach, wherein the moods set by play can be understood as schemes, latitude, or slack. These terms help us to understand the way play is productive of particular affects that set our bodies to motion.