writing
A selection of my recent publications, both academic and journalistic. You can also get a feed for my blog and writing. For a more detailed list of my writing, view my curriculum vitae.
I also blog on this site and at Water Cooler Games.
November 18, 2008
Disjunctive Play
On multiplayer games that estrange. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra
October 30, 2008
The Birth and Death of the Election Game
The role of games in the 2008 election, and beyond. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra.
September 11, 2008
Videogame Snapshots
How games can be informal and personal. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra
July 20, 2008
The End of Gamers
Things people do with videogames
June 25, 2008
Performative Play
How gameplay makes changes in the real world. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra.
May 7, 2008
Texture
On the way games can be felt. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra
April 30, 2008
Advertisers have yet to unlock the power of play
Opinion piece published in The Guardian
March 31, 2008
Is Spore For Everyone?
Opinion piece published in Gamasutra
March 19, 2008
Can Games get Real? A Closer Look at "Documentary" Digital Games
Co-authored with Cindy Poremba, in the Games as a Sociocultural Phenomenon collection
March 18, 2008
Videogame Pranks
On using videogames for practical jokes and gags. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra
March 16, 2008
Not Interdisciplinarity, But Love
My keynote presentation at the 2008 Game Developers Conference Education Summit
February 15, 2008
Sony, Global Infant
Opinion piece published in Gamasutra
February 12, 2008
Videogame Vignette
On the figure of the vignette in videogames. From my "Persuasive Games column" at Gamasutra
December 20, 2007
The Holly and the Ivy
On representations of holiday cheer in videogames. From my "Persuasive Games column" at Gamasutra
November 29, 2007
Videogame Zen
Reflections on relaxation in games. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra
October 9, 2007
Casual as in Sex, not Casual as in Friday
An alternative aesthetic of casual games. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra
September 10, 2007
The Reverence Of Resistance
On the controversial use of the Manchester Cathedral in Resistance: Fall of Man
August 8, 2007
Time for games to grow up
In order to mature properly, videogaming not only needs a Citizen Kane moment; it needs a little humdrum too
August 3, 2007
Event Wrap Up: Classic Gaming Expo 2007
A meditation on why this event for videogame collectors could be more than nostalgic
August 2, 2007
How I Stopped Worrying About Gamers And Started Loving People Who Play Games
A response to Justin Peters' recent Slate article. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra
June 13, 2007
Designing For Tragedy
What would a thoughtful game about a tragedy look like? From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra.
May 21, 2007
Why We Need More Boring Games
About making games ordinary. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra.
April 26, 2007
Persuasive Games on Mobile Devices
In Mobile Persuasion: 20 Perspectives on the Future of Behavior Change, edited by B.J. Fogg and Dean Eckles
April 20, 2007
New Media as Material Constraint
An Introduction to Platform Studies, co-authored with Nick Montfort. Presented at the First International HASTAC Conference, April 2007.
April 3, 2007
Turning the Tables on In-Game Ad Design
On the uses of in-game ads for cultural reference. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra.
February 28, 2007
Videogames Go to Washington
The Story Behind Howard Dean's Videogame Propaganda. Co-authored with Gonzalo Frasca. In Second Person, edited by Pat Harrigan and Noah Wardrip-Fruin.
January 31, 2007
The Missing Rituals of Exergames
Exergames need social contexts. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra.
January 5, 2007
Promogames, Another Kind of Advertising Game
Burger King's Xbox games revive a forgotten genre of advertising games. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra.
November 28, 2006
Wii’s Revolution is in the Past
On the potential to release new games for old consoles via Wii's Virtual Console. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra.
November 2, 2006
Taking Bully Seriously
On Rockstar's game Bully. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra.
October 20, 2006
Playing Politics: Videogames for Politics, Activism, and Advocacy
In First Monday 11, no. 9., Special Issue #7: Command Lines: The Emergence of Governance in Global Cyberspace
October 15, 2006
Videogames and Ideological Frames
From Popular Communication 4, no. 3 (2006)
October 11, 2006
Games Phone Home
On playing the roles of the weak in videogames. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra
October 5, 2006
Experiencing Place in Los Santos and Vice City
In The Culture and Meaning of Grand Theft Auto, edited by Nathan Garrelts. Co-authored with Dan Klainbaum.
September 25, 2006
The Right to Bore Arms
The social benefit of boredom of gunplay games. From my "Persuasive Games" column at Gamasutra.
August 1, 2006
Review of Convergence Culture
A review of media studies scholar Henry Jenkins's recent book
June 1, 2006
Game Design Education: Integrating Computation and Culture
Co-authored with Janet Murray, Michael Mateas, and Michael Nitsche. Published in IEEE Computer Society, June 2006.
December 14, 2005
The Rhetoric of Exergaming
Paper presented at the Digital Arts and Cultures conference, Copenhagen Denmark, December 2005.
November 1, 2005
Comparative Videogame Criticism
In Games & Culture 1:1 (2006).
September 25, 2005
Event Wrap Up: Games for Health 2005
A report from the 2005 Games for Health conference
April 20, 2005
Procedural Literacy
Problem Solving with Programming, Systems, and Play. In the Journal of Media Literacy 52, no. 1-2 (2005).
December 1, 2004
Asynchronous Multiplay: Futures for Casual Multiplayer Experience
An academic paper about multiplayer games played in sequence. Presented at the Other Players Conference on Multiplayer Phenomena, Copenhagen Denmark, December 2004.
May 15, 2004
A Response to Critical Simulation
A riposte to the Critical Simulation section of Noah Wardrip-Fruin and Pat Harrigan's edited collection First Person
March 4, 2004
The Muse of the Videogame
On videogames as art. From the IGDA Ivory Tower Column.