ABSTRACT

From Pong to Madden NFL to Wii Fit, Sports Videogames argues for the multiple ways that sports videogames—alongside televised and physical sports—impact one another, and how players and viewers make sense of these multiple forms of play and information in their daily lives. Through case studies, ethnographic explorations, interviews and surveys, and by analyzing games, players, and the sports media industry, contributors from a wide variety of disciplines demonstrate the depth and complexity of games that were once considered simply sports simulations. Contributors also tackle key topics including the rise of online play and its implications for access to games, as well as how regulations surrounding player likenesses present challenges to the industry. Whether you’re a scholar or a gamer, Sports Videogames offers a grounded, theory-building approach to how millions make sense of videogames today.

chapter |11 pages

Sports Videogames

Mapping the Field

section I|99 pages

Defining the Game

chapter 1|17 pages

Games, Sports and Sport Videogames

Designed Challenges in Racing Games

chapter 2|18 pages

A Tale of Two Games

Football and FIFA 12

chapter 3|17 pages

What Are Sports Videogames?

chapter 4|20 pages

Joga Bonito

Beautiful Play, Sports and Digital Games

chapter 5|25 pages

Women, Sports and Videogames

section II|82 pages

Remediating and Complicating

chapter 6|23 pages

Playing The Game on Television

chapter 7|18 pages

It's in the Game?

Shifting Scene with Online Play

chapter 8|19 pages

The Slow Grind

Skateboarding Videogames and the Culture and Practice of Skateboarding

chapter 9|20 pages

Likeness Licensing Litigation

Student Athletes and the Future of Sports Videogames

section III|100 pages

Fans and Players

chapter 10|20 pages

Playing Ball

Fan Experiences in Basketball Videogames

chapter 11|19 pages

Eventful Masculinities

Negotiations of Hegemonic Sporting Masculinities at LANs

chapter 12|16 pages

Sports Videogames in Everyday Life

A Meaning-Oriented Analysis of the Appropriation of the Online Soccer Manager Game Hattrick

chapter 13|26 pages

Why Sports Videogames Matter to Their Players

Exploring Meaningful Experiences in Playographies

chapter 14|17 pages

Sports Videogames and Real-World Exercise

Using Sports Videogames to Promote Real-World Physical Activity among Adolescents