| Title | Young Scholars, and Old Debates |
|---|---|
| Subtitle | Why the Ludology Versus Narratology “Debate” Cannot Be Forgotten |
| Contributor | Emma Vossen(author) |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.53288/0441.1.04 |
| Landing page | https://punctumbooks.com/titles/historiographies-of-game-studies-what-it-has-been-what-it-could-be/ |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Emma Vossen |
| Publisher | punctum books |
| Published on | 2025-07-25 |
| Long abstract | Vossen outlines her experiences in the game studies community from 2012 to 2022 focusing on the ludology vs narratology debate's impact on herself and other game scholars. She argues that these “debates” alienated many scholars looking to become part of the field by outlining a “right” and “wrong” way to study games. Vossen discusses how essays like “Genre Trouble” and the larger ludology vs narratology debate made her feel unwelcome as someone with a PhD in English examining issues of culture and gender in games. In the tradition of historiography, Vossen examines how the histories of the debate have been recorded, reinterpreted, perceived, and felt by multiple generations of scholars. Vossen argues that the debate is the story of how the work of a few men who used similar theories and methods were canonized. Consequently, games-related work that uses other methodologies, often favoured by women and queer people, are marginalized and pushed to the fringes of the field. Vossen concludes that it is only by continuously discussing and addressing the failures of these early debates and their impact on game studies that we can undo the harm they have caused. |
| Page range | pp. 67–93 |
| Print length | 27 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
Emma Vossen (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Game Studies in the Department of Digital Humanities at Brock University, Canada. Her work focuses on the intersections of politics, identity, and technology, particularly in the context of digital games. She has been an outspoken and ongoing voice in the discussion around online radicalization, digital violence, and contemporary fascism since 2013. Many publications, including ABC News, CBC News, NBC News, Wired, Maclean's Magazine, The Washington Post, University Affairs Magazine, Toxic Avenger Magazine, and Electronic Gaming Monthly, have interviewed her about her work. In 2016, CBC Ideas produced "The Dangerous Game: Gamergate and the 'Alt-Right,'" a 40-minute radio documentary about her dissertation research, which was broadcast nationally. Vossen is an award-winning public speaker and the co-author and co-editor of the books Feminism in Play (Palgrace Macmillan, 2018) and the former editor-in-chief of First Person Scholar.