ABSTRACT
The videogame tourist is not just characterized as someone whose relationship to playing games is the equivalent act of exploring a new unfamiliar place but rather someone who demonstrates touristic behaviour beyond the goal-oriented structures of the game. Touring the videogame city is an act of navigating a virtual space with a set of expectations, references, and motivations that transform the player’s relationship to the game world outside of the context of normal play. As an illustrative example, players seek out referents and experiences in the virtual cities of games based on their personal experiences or expectations influenced by cities in popular culture. Videogame cities and other imaginative virtual worlds prompt players to emulate real-world touristic behaviour. Increasingly, this player behaviour is supported by game mechanics and supplementary tools that allow players to document and share their travel in a way that transforms the relationship between player and game space.
