Games, more specifically, digital games
have become ever present in our society. They are played
on a wide array of technologies from mobile phones, to
personal computers, to dedicated game consoles. They offer
players a variety of experiences from playing alone to
joining with thousands of others online. Game genres are
varied and include adventure, real time strategy and simulation.
Further, games are both influenced by, and also inspire,
a myriad of other art forms from film to literature.
Accordingly, with it being almost impossible
to overlook their prevalence within our society, digital
games are now being recognized as a legitimate area for
inquiry in their own right. It has therefore been both
a great opportunity and privilege to be the guest editors
of the inaugural Special Issue on Games. Testimony
to both the increasing interest and importance of game
studies and research, were the large number of submissions
we received for this issue, and as editors we would like
to thank all those who made submissions.
Reflective of the multidisciplinary nature
of digital game research the four featured submissions
came from authors with backgrounds as varied as online
journalism, education, information technology, ludology
and media and communication studies.
In sequence, these four articles traverse
issues from card games as a social learning tool, to the
language used by player communities, to game journalism,
and finally to intellectual property rights in massively
multiplayer online role-playing games. Within this issue,
technologies range from face-to-face paper-based card
games in the first article, to expansive and enormously
populated online digital worlds in the last.
We believe that game research, like these
featured articles, has the potential to both shape our
understanding of, and interaction with, digital games.
With digital games increasingly finding application in
a myriad of areas, how we understand and play them has
implications far beyond their application within the entertainment
industry.
Finally, as editors we are truly indebted
to the contribution of those who have worked tirelessly
behind the scenes to bring you this special issue. To
all the reviewers who so generously gave up their time
to review the submissions we received, we thank you. We
are also truly grateful to Prof. Michael Gilding, Dr.
Mark Finn and the AJETS board for so courageously deciding
to adopt the idea of a special issue on games which we
pitched to them earlier this year. And to the administrative
and support staff of AJETS, in particular Ms. Vikki Bunton
for her meticulous and professional editorial assistance
and to Mr. John Mathews for his web-based technical expertise.
We’ve enjoyed very much the process
of bringing you this special issue as we believe it provides
a unique and exciting opportunity for Australian game
researchers to come together and share their interest
in digital games. And most of all, we hope you have as
much fun reading it as we had making it.
Dr. Andrew Stapleton
Mr. Matthew Cooke
