Gaming Culture(s) in India: Digital Play in Everyday Life

This book explores the multiple lives of gamers in India, using an ethnographic approach and in-depth interviews to understand how games are consumed and how gamers influence the products they use. It situates gaming under a broader umbrella of digital leisure activities and questions the term "gamer" and the debates surrounding it. It also examines the offline and online spaces of gaming as sites of contestation between developers and players.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 202 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive volume delves into the multifaceted existence of gamers in India, offering a critical analysis of their diverse experiences. Through an ethnographic approach and in-depth interviews, it explores the daily lives of gamers, examining not only their consumption of games but also the significant impact they have on various virtual worlds. By situating gaming within the broader context of digital leisure activities, the book highlights the emergence of gaming as a new media form and cultural artifact. It critically interrogates the term "gamer" and the ongoing debates surrounding it, expanding our understanding of how gaming identities are constructed and expressed. The volume provides detailed insights into participants' gaming habits, practices, and contexts, offering a cultural perspective. It analyzes the participants' responses to emerging industry trends, reflections on their playing practices, and their relationships within gaming communities and networks. Furthermore, the book examines the offline and online spaces of gaming as sites of contention between game developers and players, shedding light on the complex dynamics and power dynamics at play. A holistic study covering one of the largest video game bases in the world, this volume appeals to scholars and researchers in cultural studies, media and communication studies, science and technology studies, as well as to a broader audience interested in the world of gaming.

Weight: 453g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367514846