A Short and Simple Definition of What a Videogame Is
Open accessAbstract
Videogames have been studied seriously only for a few years. So, we can wonder how we could use the recent academic works to approach new design methods. This article proposes a first step: a short and simple definition of what a videogame is, this definition being connected with existing academic works about game, play, interactivity, and narrative. The definition is: A videogame is a game which we play thanks to an audiovisual apparatus and which can be based on a story. The article also shows what the videogame heritage teaches us about what a videogame is.
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According to those definitions, all videogames are more or less games and need a player at least as a spectator who starts the process of play and is involved in it to some extent.
“According to them, all videogames are more or less games, they need player at least as a spectator who starts the process of play and is involved in it to some extent”
From Basic hermeneutic approaches to interpretation of videogames (2019) · cites this paper as Esposito (2005)
The definition section calls a videogame a game that we play, supporting the claim that videogames are games and involve a player. But the PLAY section does not say that a spectator can count as the player or that the player starts the process; it instead says players expect to do, not to watch. The indexed passages have no page numbers. (LLM, conf=0.85)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredLudo-hermeneutics interprets videogames as games but prioritizes the game above the player.
“2) ludo-hermeneutics -with the game as core concept (videogame is interpreted as a game, but the game is prioritized above player)”
From Basic hermeneutic approaches to interpretation of videogames (2019) · cites this paper as Esposito, 2005
The GAME section says that videogames are, before anything else, games, supporting that part of the claim. But the paper does not identify this view as “ludo-hermeneutics” or say that the game takes priority over the player; its definition explicitly includes play, and the AUDIOVISUAL APPARATUS section quotes a view centered on player experience. No page numbers are available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.87)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredMany definitions and videogame researches mention that videogames are games first of all.
“Many definitions and videogame researches mention that videogames are games first of all.”
From Basic hermeneutic approaches to interpretation of videogames (2019) · cites this paper as Esposito (2005)
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Cites
Georges, R. A., Avedon, E. M., & Sutton-Smith, B. (1975) · Western Folklore · doi:10.2307/1499097 · Cited by 244 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Research works printed but not linked: 22
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Game-based learning pedagogy: a review of the literature
Bado, N. (2022) · Interactive Learning Environments · doi:10.1080/10494820.2019.1683587 · Cited by 144 · see citing works
Real-time hermeneutics: meaning-making in ludonarrative digital games
Arjoranta, J. (2018) · doi:10.31237/osf.io/uep74 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
Basic hermeneutic approaches to interpretation of videogames
Horban, O., & Maletska, M. (2019) · Skhid · doi:10.21847/1728-9343.2019.5(163).181868 · Cited by 4 · see citing works
- Authors
- Esposito, N.
- Affiliations
- Université de Technologie de Compiègne (FR)
- Corresponding author
- Esposito, Nicolas
- Venue
- DiGRA Digital Library
- Published
- 2005-01-01
- Volume
- 3
- ISSN
- 2342-9666
- OpenAlex
- W2158547057
- Cited by
- 159
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 17 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 3 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 8 · 2013: 5 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.29
- Type
- conference paper
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- Summit (Simon Fraser University) (submittedVersion)
- Digital Games Research Association Conference
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Digital Games and Media
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Educational Games and Gamification
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Artificial Intelligence › Artificial Intelligence in Games
- Keywords
- video games, play, interactivity, narrative, game design
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