Game: Animals, Video Games, and Humanity

Tom Tyler's book "Game" explores the relationship between animals and video games, suggesting that thinking about them together can prompt fresh thinking about both. The book consists of thirteen short essays that examine a particular video game, franchise, aspect of gameplay, or production in which animals are featured, allowing us to reflect on conventional understandings of humans, animals, and the relationships between them. Through the lens of animals and animality, Tyler leads us to a greater humility regarding the nature and status of the human creature and a greater sensitivity in dealings with other animals.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 30 May 2022
Publisher: University of Minnesota Press

A Playful Exploration of Animals and Video Games

Video games offer a unique platform for gamers to immerse themselves in new worlds, whether they are human or non-human. From cats to orangutans, pigs to penguins, these games have been enjoyed by a wide range of animals, providing them with the opportunity to experience life from various perspectives. In his book "Game," author Tom Tyler takes a comprehensive look at the intersection of video games and animals, exploring how thinking about these two domains together can lead to fresh insights.

"Game" comprises thirteen short essays that examine various video games, franchises, gameplay aspects, and production elements that feature animals. Through these essays, readers are encouraged to reflect on conventional understandings of humans, animals, and their relationships. Tyler delves into the significance of animals who participate in video games as protagonists, opponents, and resources, but also as ciphers, subjects, and subversive guides to new ways of thinking. These animals challenge our assumptions about games, including ideas about winning and losing, difficulty settings, accessibility, playing badly, virtuality, vitality, and vulnerability.

Written in a playful and accessible style, "Game" draws from a diverse range of sources, including children's television, sitcoms, regional newspapers, medieval fables, Shakespearean tragedy, Edwardian comedy, primatology, entomology, hunting and fishing manuals, theological tracts, and philosophical treatises. By examining video games through the lens of animals and animality, Tyler invites readers to gain a greater humility regarding the nature and status of the human creature and to develop a greater sensitivity in dealings with other animals.

Through his engaging and thought-provoking exploration, Tyler demonstrates how video games and animals can teach us valuable lessons about each other, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world around us. Whether you are a gamer or an animal lover, "Game" offers a unique and captivating perspective on the interplay between these two realms.

Dimension: 203 x 133 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781517910198