The interplay between game design and social practice

Abstract

Game design’s influence on how gaming is practiced is a debated topic within video game research. Overlapping with this debate are questions of how game design and social practice each contribute to experiences of problematic gaming. In this study, we drew on focus groups and individual interviews with a total of 107 adolescents. We deployed practice theory to demonstrate how game design is an integrated part of the material configurations of everyday gaming practices. Furthermore, we will provide empirical examples of how interplays between game design and social practices can shape experiences of problematic gaming. In the analysis, we will demonstrate how adverse consequences of gaming can emerge in the clash between game design and everyday life obligations. Additionally, we will show how strategically designed monetary mechanics and patterns can be intensified or stifled by players’ socializing practices. Finally, we will address the interplay between gendered practices and game designs.