Studying Game Development Cultures

By analyzing and contextualizing different aspects of the Finnish game development scene, this article provides concrete examples of why we need cultural studies of game development and how game development cultures can be studied. The article follows a three-layer approach, first exploring some of the historical and political developments that have shaped forms of local game production. Second, a focus is placed on working cultures within the industry and attitudes toward crunch time, work–life balance, and workplace regulation. Third, everyday strategies of organizing creative work are analyzed to better understand game studio cultures. The lessons from this empirical study directly contribute to the larger scholarly discussions around game production and creative labor.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Modding

Modding, originally from modifying, refers to a practice of changing a game by creating modifications to it. Modifications range from very simple edits to "total conversions" and entirely new games. Modding as a phenomenon questions any "fixed" idea of a game by illustrating how games operate as launchpads for player creativity. Game modding draws on the history of software hacking and in this respect modding can take forms that are seen as resistant or illegitimate. At the same time, modding is often invited and supported by game companies, leading to constant negotiations between the game industry and the player community.publishedVersio

Material Culture and Angry Birds

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On modder labour, commodification of play, and mod competitions

As the boundaries between play and work are becoming increasingly blurred among digital games, avid player labour is increasingly harnessed as a source of revenue. This article focuses on "modders", hobbyists who build on existing retail game titles, and the strategies the game industry uses to motivate and persuade these hobbyists to produce content that most effectively benefits the industry. Special focus is on industry-organized mod competitions that form an area of experimentation where the potentials of free modder labour are tested

Pelintekemisen kulttuurit

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