Mobile games have become a major part of many people\u27s everyday life, especially since the rise of the Free-to-Play (F2P) model which brought mobile gaming to the fore of gaming culture. As a “new” cultural phenomenon, “playing” is now accessible anytime, in part due to the widespread availability of mobile technologies that host these games. Drawing from key concepts of the social practices theory, this study aims to explore how do mobile F2P games fit into the players’ everyday activities and occupations. Specifically, in what ways can time, mobile technologies and games shape the integration of gaming practices into the everyday life of players?
Based on a thematic content analysis of 15 semi-structured qualitative interviews with players, it is possible to see how three key dimensions can shape mobiles F2P gaming practices, namely the characteristics of mobile F2P games, the use of mobile technologies, and the temporal dispositions of everyday life. These results highlight how social practices theory allows for a broader understanding of mobile F2P gaming practices by taking into account both the individual and structural aspects of this phenomenon.
So what? Situating mobile F2P gaming practices within the context of everyday life can shed light on their complete embeddedness in the player’s daily routines. It highlights how time can play a major role in shaping the gaming practices and raises key questions, namely the importance of time in mobile gaming addiction
