The Paradox of Transgression in Games (Routledge Advances in Game Studies)

__The Paradox of Transgression in Games__ looks at transgressive games as an aesthetic experience, tackling how players respond to game content that shocks, disturbs, and distresses, and how contemporary video games can evoke intense emotional reactions. The book delves into the commercial success of many controversial videogames: although such games may appear shocking for the observing bystander, playing them is experienced as deeply rewarding for the player. Drawing on qualitative player studies and approaches from media aesthetics theory, the book challenges the perception of games as innocent entertainment, and examines the range of emotional, moral, and intellectual experiences of players. As they explore what players consider transgressive, the authors ask whether there is something about the gameplay situation that works to mitigate the sense of transgression, stressing gameplay as an aesthetic experience. Anchoring the aesthetic game experience both in play studies as well as in aesthetic theory, this book will be an essential resource for scholars and students of game studies, aesthetics, media studies, philosophy of art, and emotions. This book looks at transgressive games as an aesthetic experience, tackling how players respond to game content that shocks, disturbs, and distresses, and how contemporary video games can evoke intense emotional reactions. Cover 1 Half Title 2 Series Page 3 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 6 List of Illustrations 8 Figure 215 9.1 A Theory of The Paradox of Transgression in Games 215 Tables 27 0.1 Overview of Player Respondents 27 3.1 Overview of Games Used in the Empirical Studies 80 Preface 10 Acknowledgments 12 Introduction: Exploring Transgressions in Games 14 Part 1 Transgression in Games 36 1 Old Term, New Game 38 2 Form and Content of Transgressive Games 57 3 Transgressive Games: An Overview 79 Part 2 Experiences With Transgressive Games 96 4 Transgressive Games and the Player-Response Perspective 98 5 Transgressive Gameplay Experiences 113 6 Transgressive Game Content and Emotional Response 136 Part 3 Games and Transgressive Aesthetics 160 7 The Carnivalesque Aesthetics of Games 162 8 Game Aesthetics and the Sublime 185 Conclusions: A Theory of The Paradox of Transgression in Games 206 Index 220 Emotional,Response;,Game,Aesthetics;,Gameplay;,Sublime;,Transgressive,Games Emotional Response,Game Aesthetics,Gameplay,Sublime,Transgressive Games "The Paradox of Transgression in Games looks at transgressive games as an aesthetic experience, tackling how players respond to game content that shocks, disturbs, and distresses, and how contemporary video games can evoke intense emotional reactions. The book delves into the commercial success of many controversial videogames: although such games may appear shocking for the observing bystander, playing them is experienced as deeply rewarding for the player. Drawing on qualitative player studies and approaches from media aesthetics theory, the book challenges the perception of games as innocent entertainment, and examines the range of emotional, moral, and intellectual experiences of players. As they explore what players consider transgressive, the authors ask whether there is something about the gameplay situation that works to mitigate the sense of transgression, stressing gameplay as an aesthetic experience. Anchoring the aesthetic game experience both in play studies as well as in aesthetic theory, this book will be an essential resource for scholars and students of game studies, aesthetics, media studies, philosophy of art, and emotions"-- Provided by publisher Drawing on qualitative player studies and approaches from media aesthetics theory, The Paradox of Transgression in Games looks at transgressive games as an aesthetic experience, tackling how players respond to game content that shocks, disturbs, and distresses, and how contemporary video games can evoke intense emotional reactions.