Research Article
BibTex RIS Cite

TOWARDS A SOCIOLOGY OF DIGITAL GAMES: A CRITICAL EXPLORATION OF AN EMERGING FIELD

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 47 - 61, 05.06.2025

Aykut Sığın

Abstract

Digital games have become a key cultural phenomenon of the 21st century and have started influencing social dynamics worldwide. This study critically examines the emerging field of the sociology of digital games and takes digital games as a cultural economy, where cultural practices intersect with economic mechanisms. In this respect, digital games are situated as commodities that reflect and shape societal values, norms, and conflicts, extending beyond simple entertainment to construct identities, communicate cultural narratives, and foster social discourse. It is argued that the dominance of industry leaders in production and distribution perpetuates economic hierarchies, influencing accessibility, cultural engagement, and representation. The study purports that digital games often perpetuate capitalist ideals such as consumerism and meritocratic success, while also exploring their potential to subvert or challenge these ideologies. The study also analyzes the gender dynamics revolving around digital games and how virtual gaming communities influence social interaction. Studies on the intersection of digital games and social capital, cultural exchange, skill development, social norms and governance, identity and representation, addiction and well-being as well as blurring boundaries of physical and virtual worlds are seen as important study areas of this emerging subfield of sociology. The article concludes by calling for future research on the intersection of gaming with issues such as race, disability, and global inequality, attempting to outline key research areas in the field of the sociology of digital games. It is thought that the study will contribute to the literature by means of highlighting the most glaring social issues in the world of digital games.

Keywords

Digital games the sociology of digital games virtual communities social stratification gender

Supporting Institution

No support was received for the study.

References

  • Accenture. (2021). Global gaming Industry value now exceeds $300 billion new Accenture report finds. Accenture Newsroom. Available from: https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/2021/global-gaming-industry-value-now-exceeds-300-billion-new-accenture-report-finds (Accessed 09.16.2024).
  • Adorno, T. W. (2001) The culture industry: Selected essays on mass culture. J. M. Bernstein (ed.). New York: Routledge.
  • Bainbridge, W.S. (2016). Modeling social stratification in online games. In Virtual sociocultural convergence. 117-139.
  • Bakan, U. and Bakan, U. (2019). Gender and racial stereotypes of video game characters in (MMO)RPGs. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi, 34, 100-114. https://doi.org/10.17829/turcom.514500
  • Behm-Morawitz, E. and Mastro, D. (2009). The effects of the sexualization of female video game characters on gender stereotyping and female self-concept. Sex Roles, 61(11-12), 808-823.
  • Boellstorff, T. (2015). Coming of age in second life: An anthropologist explores the virtually human. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
  • Butt, Mahli-A. and Dunne, D. (2019). Rebel girls and consequence in Life is Strange and The Walking Dead. Games and Culture, 14(4), 430-449.
  • Cambridge Dictionary. (2024). Woke. Cambridge Dictionary. Available from: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/woke (Accessed 09.12.2024).
  • Castronova, E. (2005). Synthetic worlds: The business and culture of online games. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
  • Castronova, E., Williams, D., Shen, C., Ratan, R., Xiong, L., Huang, Y. and Keegan, B. (2009). As real as real? Macroeconomic behavior in a large-scale virtual world. New Media & Society, 11(5), 685-707. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444809105346
  • CCY. (n.d.). Diversity in gaming: Bridging the gender gap. Available from: https://ccy.com/diversity-in-gaming-bridging-the-gender-gap/ (Accessed 09.16.2024).
  • Companies Market Cap. (2024). Largest video game companies by market cap. Available from: https://companiesmarketcap.com/video-games/largest-video-game-companies-by-market-cap/ (Accessed 11.03.2025).
  • Consalvo, M. (2004). Hot dates and fairy-tale romances: Studying sexuality in video games. In M. J. P. Wolf and B. Perron (eds.): The video game theory reader: 171-194. London: Routledge.
  • Consalvo, M. (2012). Confronting toxic gamer culture: A challenge for feminist game studies scholars. Ada: A Journal of Gender, New Media, and Technology, No. 1. doi:10.7264/N33X84KH
  • Cote, A. C. (2018). Curate your culture: A call for social justice-oriented game development and community management. In K. L. Gray and D. J. Leonard (eds.): Woke gaming: digital challenges to oppression and social injustice: 193-212. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
  • de Smale, S., Kors, M. J. L. and Sandovar, A. M. (2019). The case of This War of Mine: A production studies perspective on moral game design. Games and Culture, 14(4), 387-409. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412017725996
  • Deskins, T. G. (2013). Stereotypes in video games and how they perpetuate prejudice. McNair Scholars Research Journal, 6, 19-36.
  • Dibbell, J. (2007, April 17). The life of the Chinese gold farmer. The New York Times Magazine. Available from: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/17/magazine/17lootfarmers-t.html (Accessed: 09.16.2024).
  • Downs, E. and Smith, S. L. (2010). Keeping abreast of hypersexuality: A video game character content analysis. Sex Roles, 62(11-12), 721-733.
  • Ducheneaut, N. and Moore, R. (2005). More than Just 'XP': Learning social skills in massively multiplayer online games. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 2(2), 89-100.
  • Entertainment Software Association. (2021). Essential facts about the video game industry. Available from: https://www.theesa.com/resource/2021-essential-facts-about-the-video-game-industry/ (Accessed 09.12.2024).
  • Fox, J. and Tang, W. Y. (2014). Sexism in online video games: The role of conformity to masculine norms and social dominance orientation. Computers in Human Behavior, 33, 314-320.
  • Hamari, J., Alha, K. and Kivikangas, J. M. (2017). Why do players buy in-game content? An empirical study on concrete purchase motivations. Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 538-546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.045
  • Harvey, A. and Fisher, S. (2015). Everyone can make games!: The post-feminist context of women in digital game production. Feminist Media Studies, 15(4), 576-592.
  • Kafai, Y. B., Heeter, C., Denner, J. and Sun, J. Y. (2008). Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat: New perspectives on gender and gaming. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
  • King, D. L. and Delfabbro, P. H. (2019). Unfair play? Video games as exploitative monetized services: An examination of game patents from a consumer protection perspective. Computers in Human Behavior, 101, 131-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.07.017
  • Kline, S., Dyer-Witheford, N. and de Peuter, G. (2003). Digital play: The interaction of technology, culture, and marketing. McGill-Queen's University Press.
  • Kuss, D. J. and Griffiths, M. D. (2012). Internet gaming addiction: A systematic review of empirical research. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 10(2), 278-296.
  • Lindner, J. (2024, August 6). Female gamers statistics: Gaming landscape reflects gender diversity growth. WiFi Talents. Available from: https://wifitalents.com/statistic/female-gamers/ (Accessed 09.15.2024).
  • McKay, M. (2024, August 29). The soft power output and global impact of video games. Watching America. Available from: https://watchingamerica.com/WA/2024/08/29/the-soft-power-output-and-global-impact-of-video-games/ (Accessed 09.13.2024).
  • Muriel, D. (2020). Video games and identity formation in contemporary society. In D. A. Rohlinger and S. Sobieraj (eds.): The Oxford handbook of digital media sociology. Oxford Academic. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197510636.013.27
  • Nakamura, L. (2002). Cybertypes: Race, ethnicity, and identity on the Internet. New York: Routledge.
  • Nakamura, L. (2017). Racism, sexism, and gaming’s cruel optimism. In K. L. Gray and D. J. Leonard (eds.): Gaming representation: Race, gender, and sexuality in video games: 245-250.
  • Nardi, B. and Harris, J. (2006). Strangers and friends: Collaborative play in World of Warcraft. In Proceedings of the 2006 20th anniversary conference on computer supported cooperative work: 149-158.
  • Sachan, T., Chhabra, D. and Abraham, B. (2025). Social capital in online gaming communities: A systematic review examining the role of virtual identities. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 28(3). https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2024.0375
  • Shaw, A. (2014). Gaming at the edge: Sexuality and gender at the margins of gamer culture. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press.
  • Sığın, A. (2022). Frankfurt School’s critical theory and a critique of video games as popular culture products. Journal of Erciyes Communication, 9(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.17680/erciyesiletisim.1030093
  • Sığın, A. (2023). Türkiye'deki oyun sektörünü sosyolojik açıdan değerlendirmek: Bazı gözlemler ve sorunlara çözüm önerileri. In Kütahya I. ulusal sosyoloji sempozyumu tam metin bildiri kitabı: 171-184.
  • Solove, D. J. (2007). The future of reputation: Gossip, rumor, and privacy on the Internet. New Haven: Yale University Press.
  • Steinkuehler, C. A., and Williams, D. (2006). Where everybody knows your (screen) name: Online games as “third places”. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11(4), 885-909.
  • Tamir, A. (2020). Commodity fetishism in computer games: In-game item consumptions of Counter Strike: Global Offensive players. Sosyal Mucit Academic Review, 1(1), 45-72.
  • Tassi, P. (2022, January 20). The most valuable video game companies that Microsoft could buy next. Forbes. Available from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2022/01/20/the-most-valuable-video-game-companies-that-microsoft-could-buy-next/ (Accessed 9.12.2024).
  • Taylor, N., Jenson, J. and de Castell, S. (2009). Cheerleaders, booth babes, Halo hoes: Pro-gaming, gender and jobs for the boys. Digital Creativity, 20(4), 239-252. https://doi.org/10.1080/14626260903290323
  • Taylor, T. L. (2006). Play between worlds: Exploring online game culture. Cambridge: Cambridge: MIT Press.
  • Turkle, S. (1995). Life on the screen: Identity in the age of the Internet. Washington: Simon and Schuster.
  • Williams, D., Ducheneaut, N., Xiong, L., Zhang, Y., Yee, N. and Nickell, E. (2006). From tree house to barracks: The social life of guilds in World of Warcraft. Games and Culture, 1(4), 338-361. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412006292616
  • Yeganeh, H. (2020). A critical examination of the social impacts of large multinational corporations in the age of globalization. Critical Perspectives on International Business, 16(3), 193-208. https://doi.org/10.1108/cpoib-01-2019-0001
  • Zaucha, T. and Agur, C. (2023). Playbor, gamble-play, and the financialization of digital games. New Media & Society, 27(3), 1279-1298. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448231190907

Dijital Oyun Sosyolojisine Doğru: Gelişmekte Olan Bir Alanın Eleştirel İncelemesi

Year 2025, Volume: 10 Issue: 1, 47 - 61, 05.06.2025

Aykut Sığın

Abstract

Dijital oyunlar 21. yüzyılın önemli bir kültürel olgusu hâline gelmiş ve dünya çapında sosyal dinamikleri etkilemeye başlamıştır. Bu çalışma, gelişmekte olan dijital oyun sosyolojisi alanını eleştirel bir bakış açısıyla incelemekte ve dijital oyunları, kültürel pratiklerin ekonomik mekanizmalarla kesiştiği bir kültür ekonomisi alanı olarak ele almaktadır. Bu bağlamda dijital oyunlar, toplumsal değerleri, normları ve çatışmaları yansıtan ve şekillendiren, basit eğlencenin ötesine geçerek kimlikleri inşa eden, kültürel anlatıları ileten ve sosyal söylemi şekillendiren metalar olarak okunmaktadır. Çalışmada sektör liderlerinin üretim ve dağıtımdaki hâkimiyetinin ekonomik hiyerarşileri sürdürdüğü, erişilebilirliği, kültürel katılımı ve temsili etkilediği savunulmaktadır. Çalışmada dijital oyunların genellikle tüketimcilik ve meritokratik başarı gibi kapitalist idealleri sürdürdüğü öne sürülürken aynı zamanda oyunların bu ideolojileri yıkma veya bunlara meydan okuma potansiyeli taşıdığı da belirtilmektedir. Çalışma ayrıca dijital oyunlar etrafında dönen toplumsal cinsiyet dinamiklerini ve sanal oyun topluluklarının sosyal etkileşimi nasıl etkilediğini analiz etmektedir. Dijital oyunlar ile sosyal sermaye, kültürel alışveriş, beceri geliştirme, sosyal normlar ve yönetişim, kimlik ve temsil, bağımlılık ve iyi oluşun yanı sıra fiziksel ve sanal dünyaların bulanıklaşan sınırlarının kesişimi üzerine yapılacak çalışmalar gelişmekte olan bu sosyoloji alt dalının önemli çalışma alanları olarak görülmektedir. Makale, oyunların ırk, engellilik ve küresel eşitsizlik gibi konularla kesişimi üzerine gelecekte yapılacak araştırmalar için çağrıda bulunarak ve dijital oyun sosyolojisi alanındaki temel araştırma alanlarının ana hatlarını çizmeye çalışarak sonlanmaktadır. Çalışmanın, dijital oyun dünyasında öne çıkan sosyal meseleleri vurgulayarak literatüre katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

Dijital oyunlar dijital oyun sosyolojisi sanal topluluklar sosyal tabakalaşma toplumsal cinsiyet

References

  • Accenture. (2021). Global gaming Industry value now exceeds $300 billion new Accenture report finds. Accenture Newsroom. Available from: https://newsroom.accenture.com/news/2021/global-gaming-industry-value-now-exceeds-300-billion-new-accenture-report-finds (Accessed 09.16.2024).
  • Adorno, T. W. (2001) The culture industry: Selected essays on mass culture. J. M. Bernstein (ed.). New York: Routledge.
  • Bainbridge, W.S. (2016). Modeling social stratification in online games. In Virtual sociocultural convergence. 117-139.
  • Bakan, U. and Bakan, U. (2019). Gender and racial stereotypes of video game characters in (MMO)RPGs. Türkiye İletişim Araştırmaları Dergisi, 34, 100-114. https://doi.org/10.17829/turcom.514500
  • Behm-Morawitz, E. and Mastro, D. (2009). The effects of the sexualization of female video game characters on gender stereotyping and female self-concept. Sex Roles, 61(11-12), 808-823.
  • Boellstorff, T. (2015). Coming of age in second life: An anthropologist explores the virtually human. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
  • Butt, Mahli-A. and Dunne, D. (2019). Rebel girls and consequence in Life is Strange and The Walking Dead. Games and Culture, 14(4), 430-449.
  • Cambridge Dictionary. (2024). Woke. Cambridge Dictionary. Available from: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/woke (Accessed 09.12.2024).
  • Castronova, E. (2005). Synthetic worlds: The business and culture of online games. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
  • Castronova, E., Williams, D., Shen, C., Ratan, R., Xiong, L., Huang, Y. and Keegan, B. (2009). As real as real? Macroeconomic behavior in a large-scale virtual world. New Media & Society, 11(5), 685-707. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444809105346
  • CCY. (n.d.). Diversity in gaming: Bridging the gender gap. Available from: https://ccy.com/diversity-in-gaming-bridging-the-gender-gap/ (Accessed 09.16.2024).
  • Companies Market Cap. (2024). Largest video game companies by market cap. Available from: https://companiesmarketcap.com/video-games/largest-video-game-companies-by-market-cap/ (Accessed 11.03.2025).
  • Consalvo, M. (2004). Hot dates and fairy-tale romances: Studying sexuality in video games. In M. J. P. Wolf and B. Perron (eds.): The video game theory reader: 171-194. London: Routledge.
  • Consalvo, M. (2012). Confronting toxic gamer culture: A challenge for feminist game studies scholars. Ada: A Journal of Gender, New Media, and Technology, No. 1. doi:10.7264/N33X84KH
  • Cote, A. C. (2018). Curate your culture: A call for social justice-oriented game development and community management. In K. L. Gray and D. J. Leonard (eds.): Woke gaming: digital challenges to oppression and social injustice: 193-212. Seattle: University of Washington Press.
  • de Smale, S., Kors, M. J. L. and Sandovar, A. M. (2019). The case of This War of Mine: A production studies perspective on moral game design. Games and Culture, 14(4), 387-409. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412017725996
  • Deskins, T. G. (2013). Stereotypes in video games and how they perpetuate prejudice. McNair Scholars Research Journal, 6, 19-36.
  • Dibbell, J. (2007, April 17). The life of the Chinese gold farmer. The New York Times Magazine. Available from: https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/17/magazine/17lootfarmers-t.html (Accessed: 09.16.2024).
  • Downs, E. and Smith, S. L. (2010). Keeping abreast of hypersexuality: A video game character content analysis. Sex Roles, 62(11-12), 721-733.
  • Ducheneaut, N. and Moore, R. (2005). More than Just 'XP': Learning social skills in massively multiplayer online games. Interactive Technology and Smart Education, 2(2), 89-100.
  • Entertainment Software Association. (2021). Essential facts about the video game industry. Available from: https://www.theesa.com/resource/2021-essential-facts-about-the-video-game-industry/ (Accessed 09.12.2024).
  • Fox, J. and Tang, W. Y. (2014). Sexism in online video games: The role of conformity to masculine norms and social dominance orientation. Computers in Human Behavior, 33, 314-320.
  • Hamari, J., Alha, K. and Kivikangas, J. M. (2017). Why do players buy in-game content? An empirical study on concrete purchase motivations. Computers in Human Behavior, 68, 538-546. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.11.045
  • Harvey, A. and Fisher, S. (2015). Everyone can make games!: The post-feminist context of women in digital game production. Feminist Media Studies, 15(4), 576-592.
  • Kafai, Y. B., Heeter, C., Denner, J. and Sun, J. Y. (2008). Beyond Barbie and Mortal Kombat: New perspectives on gender and gaming. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
  • King, D. L. and Delfabbro, P. H. (2019). Unfair play? Video games as exploitative monetized services: An examination of game patents from a consumer protection perspective. Computers in Human Behavior, 101, 131-143. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.07.017
  • Kline, S., Dyer-Witheford, N. and de Peuter, G. (2003). Digital play: The interaction of technology, culture, and marketing. McGill-Queen's University Press.
  • Kuss, D. J. and Griffiths, M. D. (2012). Internet gaming addiction: A systematic review of empirical research. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction, 10(2), 278-296.
  • Lindner, J. (2024, August 6). Female gamers statistics: Gaming landscape reflects gender diversity growth. WiFi Talents. Available from: https://wifitalents.com/statistic/female-gamers/ (Accessed 09.15.2024).
  • McKay, M. (2024, August 29). The soft power output and global impact of video games. Watching America. Available from: https://watchingamerica.com/WA/2024/08/29/the-soft-power-output-and-global-impact-of-video-games/ (Accessed 09.13.2024).
  • Muriel, D. (2020). Video games and identity formation in contemporary society. In D. A. Rohlinger and S. Sobieraj (eds.): The Oxford handbook of digital media sociology. Oxford Academic. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197510636.013.27
  • Nakamura, L. (2002). Cybertypes: Race, ethnicity, and identity on the Internet. New York: Routledge.
  • Nakamura, L. (2017). Racism, sexism, and gaming’s cruel optimism. In K. L. Gray and D. J. Leonard (eds.): Gaming representation: Race, gender, and sexuality in video games: 245-250.
  • Nardi, B. and Harris, J. (2006). Strangers and friends: Collaborative play in World of Warcraft. In Proceedings of the 2006 20th anniversary conference on computer supported cooperative work: 149-158.
  • Sachan, T., Chhabra, D. and Abraham, B. (2025). Social capital in online gaming communities: A systematic review examining the role of virtual identities. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 28(3). https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2024.0375
  • Shaw, A. (2014). Gaming at the edge: Sexuality and gender at the margins of gamer culture. Minnesota: University of Minnesota Press.
  • Sığın, A. (2022). Frankfurt School’s critical theory and a critique of video games as popular culture products. Journal of Erciyes Communication, 9(1), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.17680/erciyesiletisim.1030093
  • Sığın, A. (2023). Türkiye'deki oyun sektörünü sosyolojik açıdan değerlendirmek: Bazı gözlemler ve sorunlara çözüm önerileri. In Kütahya I. ulusal sosyoloji sempozyumu tam metin bildiri kitabı: 171-184.
  • Solove, D. J. (2007). The future of reputation: Gossip, rumor, and privacy on the Internet. New Haven: Yale University Press.
  • Steinkuehler, C. A., and Williams, D. (2006). Where everybody knows your (screen) name: Online games as “third places”. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11(4), 885-909.
  • Tamir, A. (2020). Commodity fetishism in computer games: In-game item consumptions of Counter Strike: Global Offensive players. Sosyal Mucit Academic Review, 1(1), 45-72.
  • Tassi, P. (2022, January 20). The most valuable video game companies that Microsoft could buy next. Forbes. Available from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/paultassi/2022/01/20/the-most-valuable-video-game-companies-that-microsoft-could-buy-next/ (Accessed 9.12.2024).
  • Taylor, N., Jenson, J. and de Castell, S. (2009). Cheerleaders, booth babes, Halo hoes: Pro-gaming, gender and jobs for the boys. Digital Creativity, 20(4), 239-252. https://doi.org/10.1080/14626260903290323
  • Taylor, T. L. (2006). Play between worlds: Exploring online game culture. Cambridge: Cambridge: MIT Press.
  • Turkle, S. (1995). Life on the screen: Identity in the age of the Internet. Washington: Simon and Schuster.
  • Williams, D., Ducheneaut, N., Xiong, L., Zhang, Y., Yee, N. and Nickell, E. (2006). From tree house to barracks: The social life of guilds in World of Warcraft. Games and Culture, 1(4), 338-361. https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412006292616
  • Yeganeh, H. (2020). A critical examination of the social impacts of large multinational corporations in the age of globalization. Critical Perspectives on International Business, 16(3), 193-208. https://doi.org/10.1108/cpoib-01-2019-0001
  • Zaucha, T. and Agur, C. (2023). Playbor, gamble-play, and the financialization of digital games. New Media & Society, 27(3), 1279-1298. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448231190907
There are 48 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects New Media
Journal Section ARAŞTIRMA MAKALESİ
Authors

Aykut Sığın 0000-0002-1197-552X

Publication Date June 5, 2025
Submission Date December 20, 2024
Acceptance Date March 25, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 10 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Sığın, A. (2025). TOWARDS A SOCIOLOGY OF DIGITAL GAMES: A CRITICAL EXPLORATION OF AN EMERGING FIELD. İnönü Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Elektronik Dergisi (İNİF E-Dergi), 10(1), 47-61. https://doi.org/10.47107/inifedergi.1604555
 Download Cover Image