Transgression in Games and Play

“Overall, this is an incredibly impressive anthology, with each essay being its own exploration into the world of games, play, and transgression. I would recommend this book to any Game Studies researcher who wants not only unique perspectives on transgressions but a more well-rounded view of games and their communities.” (Jack Warren, Manchester Game Studies Network 2019)

“The personal experience brought into the book by each of its contributors, not only as scientists and academics, but also as players, the followers and breakers of norms, transgressors themselves, frightened and amazed at this artistic experience acting as a mirror. Are the other players any different? There are no final answers in the book, and this is what makes it interesting and a worthwhile read.” (Michal Smrkal, Acta Ludologica 2019)

Content:

Introduction:

Kristine Jørgensen and Faltin Karlsen: Playful Transgressions

Part I: Concepts

• 1. Jaakko Stenros: Guided by Transgression: Defying Norms as an Integral Part of Play
• 2. Torill Elvira Mortensen and Victor Navarro Remesal: Asynchronous Transgressions: Suffering, Relief, and Invasions in Nintendo’s Miiverse and Streetpass
• 3. Holger Pötzsch: Forms and Practices of Transgressivity in Videogames: Aesthetics, Play, and Politics
• 4. John Richard Sageng: The Bracketing of Moral Norms in Videogames

Part II: Practices

• 5. Mia Consalvo: Kaceytron and Transgressive Play on Twitch.tv
• 6. Hanna Wirman and Rhys Jones: Let’s Play Performance as Transgressive Play
• 7. Tanja Sihvonen and Jaakko Stenros: Queering Games, Play, and Culture through Transgressive Role-Playing Games

Part III: Emotions

• 8. Marcus Carter and Fraser Allison: Guilt in DayZ
• 9. Kristine Jørgensen: When Is It Enough? Uncomfortable Game Content and the Transgression of Player Taste
• 10. Kristian A. Bjørkelo: “It Feels Real to Me”: Transgressive Realism in This War of Mine

Part IV: Content

• 11. Tomasz Z. Majkowski: The Renaissance Ass: Ezio Auditore and Digital Menippea
• 12. Ragnhild Tronstad: Destruction, Abjection, and Desire: Aesthetics of Transgression in Two Adaptations of “Little Red Riding Hood”
• 13. Faltin Karlsen: Exploited or Engaged? Dark Game-Design Patterns in Clicker Heroes, FarmVille 2, and World of Warcraft

Part V: Society

• 14. Alan Meades:  The American Arcade Sanitization Crusade and the Amusement Arcade Action Group
• 15. Kelly Boudreau: Beyond Fun: Transgressive Gameplay—Toxic and Problematic Player Behavior as Boundary Keeping