GAM 205

Introduction to Games

While games have long been regarded as trivial or inconsequential, their increasing popularity and influence in American culture demands more critical perspectives that better enable us to understand their significance and value. This course provides an introduction to the critical study of games. Through course readings, discussion, and academic research, students will analyze the design, production, consumption, and aesthetics of games, drawing on perspectives from across a variety of disciplines. Specific attention is paid to how games affect and are affected by the people who play them and the context in which they are developed and played.

Units: 3.0