Archeogaming is the intersection of archaeology and video games, exploring game-spaces as archaeological sites with their own material culture. It offers insights into contemporary culture and history through gameplay experiences.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 236 pages
Publication date: 18 June 2018
Publisher: Berghahn Books

Archeogaming is the intersection of archaeology and video games, which explores the cultural significance of digital games as archaeological sites, landscapes, and artifacts. It challenges the notion that video games are solely entertainment and highlights their potential for scholarly inquiry. By applying archaeological methods and theory to game-spaces, archeogaming reveals the hidden histories and narratives embedded within digital games.

Archeogaming: The Intersection of Archaeology and Video Games

Archeogaming is a field that explores the intersection of archaeology and video games, examining the cultural significance of digital games as archaeological sites, landscapes, and artifacts. It challenges the notion that video games are solely entertainment and highlights their potential for scholarly inquiry. By applying archaeological methods and theory to game-spaces, archeogaming reveals the hidden histories and narratives embedded within digital games.

Archaeological Sites in Digital Games

Video games exemplify contemporary material objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture. They also serve as archaeological sites in the traditional sense, as a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved and has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology. From the introduction: "Archaeogaming, broadly defined, is the archaeology both in and of digital games... As will be described in the following chapters, digital games are archaeological sites, landscapes, and artifacts, and the game-spaces held within those media can also be understood archaeologically as digital built environments containing their own material culture... Archaeogaming does not limit its study to those video games that are set in the past or that are treated as "historical games," nor does it focus solely on the exploration and analysis of ruins or of other built environments that appear in the world of the game. Any video game—from Pac-Man to Super Meat Boy—can be studied archaeologically.

Archaeological Methods and Theory in Game-Spaces

Archeogaming applies archaeological methods and theory to game-spaces, revealing the hidden histories and narratives embedded within digital games. This includes the use of archaeological fieldwork techniques, such as surveying, excavation, and analysis of artifacts, to uncover the material culture of the game-space. It also involves the analysis of game mechanics, narrative structures, and player behavior to understand the cultural significance of the game.

Examples of Archeogaming

Archeogaming has been applied to a wide range of video games, including "Assassin's Creed," "Civilization," and "Minecraft." In "Assassin's Creed," for example, archeogaming has been used to uncover the historical origins of the Assassin's Creed universe and to explore the cultural significance of the game's settings. In "Civilization," archeogaming has been used to analyze the game's historical accuracy and to explore the cultural influences on the game's development. In "Minecraft," archeogaming has been used to explore the game's cultural significance and to understand the ways in which players interact with the game's virtual world.

Conclusion

Archeogaming is a field that has the potential to transform our understanding of video games and their cultural significance. By applying archaeological methods and theory to game-spaces, archeogaming reveals the hidden histories and narratives embedded within digital games, challenging the notion that video games are solely entertainment. Whether you are an archaeologist, a gamer, or simply interested in the cultural significance of digital games, archeogaming offers a unique and exciting perspective on the world of video games.

Archeogaming: The Intersection of Archaeology and Video Games

Archeogaming is a field that explores the intersection of archaeology and video games, examining the cultural significance of digital games as archaeological sites, landscapes, and artifacts. It challenges the notion that video games are solely entertainment and highlights their potential for scholarly inquiry. By applying archaeological methods and theory to game-spaces, archeogaming reveals the hidden histories and narratives embedded within digital games.

Archaeological Sites in Digital Games

Video games exemplify contemporary material objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture. They also serve as archaeological sites in the traditional sense, as a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved and has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology. From the introduction: "Archaeogaming, broadly defined, is the archaeology both in and of digital games... As will be described in the following chapters, digital games are archaeological sites, landscapes, and artifacts, and the game-spaces held within those media can also be understood archaeologically as digital built environments containing their own material culture... Archaeogaming does not limit its study to those video games that are set in the past or that are treated as "historical games," nor does it focus solely on the exploration and analysis of ruins or of other built environments that appear in the world of the game. Any video game—from Pac-Man to Super Meat Boy—can be studied archaeologically.

Archaeological Methods and Theory in Game-Spaces

Archeogaming applies archaeological methods and theory to game-spaces, revealing the hidden histories and narratives embedded within digital games. This includes the use of archaeological fieldwork techniques, such as surveying, excavation, and analysis of artifacts, to uncover the material culture of the game-space. It also involves the analysis of game mechanics, narrative structures, and player behavior to understand the cultural significance of the game.

Examples of Archeogaming

Archeogaming has been applied to a wide range of video games, including "Assassin's Creed," "Civilization," and "Minecraft." In "Assassin's Creed," for example, archeogaming has been used to uncover the historical origins of the Assassin's Creed universe and to explore the cultural significance of the game's settings. In "Civilization," archeogaming has been used to analyze the game's historical accuracy and to explore the cultural influences on the game's development. In "Minecraft," archeogaming has been used to explore the game's cultural significance and to understand the ways in which players interact with the game's virtual world.

Conclusion

Archeogaming is a field that has the potential to transform our understanding of video games and their cultural significance. By applying archaeological methods and theory to game-spaces, archeogaming reveals the hidden histories and narratives embedded within digital games, challenging the notion that video games are solely entertainment. Whether you are an archaeologist, a gamer, or simply interested in the cultural significance of digital games, archeogaming offers a unique and exciting perspective on the world of video games.

Weight: 364g
Dimension: 225 x 165 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781785338731