Index

Christopher McMahon (University of Liverpool, UK)

The Corruption of Play: Mapping the Ideological Play-Space of AAA Videogames

ISBN: 978-1-80117-737-5, eISBN: 978-1-80117-736-8

Publication date: 13 October 2022

This content is currently only available as a PDF

Citation

McMahon, C. (2022), "Index", The Corruption of Play: Mapping the Ideological Play-Space of AAA Videogames, Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 161-166. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80117-736-820221010

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022 Christopher McMahon


INDEX

Note: Page numbers followed by “n” indicate notes.

A lot of time, A lot of money, A lot of resources videogame (AAA videogame)
, 4, 11, 12, 26–27, 32, 35, 81, 119, 121

architecture of
, 118

cognitive mapping exercise of
, 131

consumption of
, 120

corrupted play
, 94

corruption of play in
, 61

digital space
, 36

engagement with
, 117

kinaesthetic qualities of
, 36–37

maps and menus of
, 85, 89

microtransaction in
, 125

nature of play in
, 72

optimisation of play in
, 89

platform of
, 130

play in
, 83, 137

play-space of
, 90

player agency in
, 116

player of
, 58, 113

state of play in
, 71

trend in
, 78

understanding
, 77

work
, 102

Achievements
, 20n1, 89n3

hunting
, 25

‘Actually existing neoliberal ideology’
, 45n4

AdVenture Capitalist
, 14, 143

‘Aesthetic dimension’ of social research
, 71–72

Agency
, 101

différance
, 103

glitches
, 113–116

ISAs
, 102

lack of genuine agency
, 104

necessity of avatar
, 104–105

neoliberal ideology
, 101

non-playable characters and level progression
, 105–110

settlement
, 110–113

Agon
, 23

Alea
, 23

Althusser, Louis
, 76–77, 102, 108–109, 112, 117

Anxiety
, 53

‘Anxiety epidemic’
, 54

Apocalypse Now (Coppola)
, 30

Assassin’s Creed
, 4n6, 68

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
, 14, 16, 27, 88–89, 97, 110, 143

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate
, 143

Assassin’s Creed Unity
, 91, 143

Atari 2600
, 6, 28

Atrocity Exhibition, The (Ballard)
, 40

Avatar
, 102

Battlefield 1
, 31, 143

Baudrillard, Jean
, 33, 40, 120, 128, 130, 133

Bauman, Zygmunt
, 9, 11, 38–40, 46, 47, 84, 88, 96

‘value-rational’ concept
, 87

modernity
, 104

notion of liquidity
, 10, 49–50

Bioshock Infinite
, 143

Bloodborne
, 40, 84–85, 94, 113, 143

Brain-training genre of games
, 24–25

Business ontology
, 24–25, 47, 49

Butler, Judith
, 79, 80, 82, 84–85, 103

Caillois, Roger
, 9, 11–12, 20, 23, 24, 57–60, 97

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare
, 29–31, 143

Capitalism
, 14, 39, 47, 54, 71

Capitalist economic order
, 25

Capitalist realism
, 9–10, 12, 47, 81

Children of Men (movie)
, 48

Civilisation series
, 22

Cognitive mapping
, 5, 16, 69–75

developing critical approach
, 68–69

entrepreneurial player and cult of gaming
, 75–78

exercise of AAA videogame
, 131

player-centric approaches
, 65–67

Commodity
, 50

Common-sense
, 7, 43

Competition
, 58

Competitive gaming
, 58n5

Consumption
, 17, 33, 40

contemporary society
, 119–120

credits
, 129–131

downloadable content and microtransactions
, 121–128

immediacy
, 120–121

platforms
, 117–118

teaching
, 131–135

Consumption itself
, 120

Contemporary capitalism
, 48

Contemporary society
, 119–120

Corpus of knowledge
, 80

Corruption
, 61

Creative game studies
, 5, 68, 72

Credits
, 129–131

Critical approach
, 68–69

Cult of work
, 52–57

Culture of immediacy
, 121, 124–125

Cutscene
, 30n8

Dark Souls III
, 114, 143

Dark Souls series
, 4n6, 37, 76, 94–95, 97–98, 143

Dean, Jodi
, 46, 51

Death
, 96

Deliveroo
, 57

Demon Souls
, 143

Derridean approach
, 68

Derridean notion of difference
, 103

Devil
, 71

Devil’s Advocate, The (film)
, 71

Différance
, 103

Digital culture
, 72

Digital platform
, 139n1

Digital realities
, 36

Digital space
, 32, 35, 55

Domestic play
, 81–82

Dominant ideology
, 81

Doom
, 28, 76, 96, 143

Downloadable content for AAA videogames
, 121–128

Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training: How Old Is Your Brain?
, 25, 143

‘Ecological nightmare pyramid scheme’
, 140n3

Economic life
, 5

Economic non-interventionism
, 43

Economic policies
, 43

Edge of Tomorrow
, 28

Efficiency
, 54

Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3)
, 29

Emancipation
, 34

Endless play
, 16

Enjoyment
, 48

Entrepreneurial employment practices
, 56–57

Entrepreneurial player
, 12, 13, 16, 75–78, 80, 101

Entrepreneurial self
, 51, 52–57

Entrepreneurial subjectivities
, 90

Escapism
, 32–34

Eurogamer
, 2

Experience points (XP)
, 27, 107–108, 111–113

Exploits
, 113n6, 114

Explosive ammunition
, 30n7

Facebook
, 117

Fallout
, 4n6

Fallout 4
, 16–17, 79, 89, 93, 97, 99, 109–110, 143

Fallout 76
, 122, 132, 143

Far Cry 4
, 14, 16, 72, 86–87, 99, 143

Far Cry 6
, 72, 143

‘Farming’
, 112–113

Fast travel
, 17, 85, 90–93, 96, 113

‘Fatality’
, 128n6

Fetishisation of work
, 52

FIFA 18 companion app
, 1, 3, 143

FIFA videogame series
, 1–3, 36, 129

Financial crash (2008)
, 45

Fisher, Mark
, 9, 10, 15–16, 39, 40, 45, 47, 48, 61, 62, 75, 83, 104

notion of capitalist realism
, 51

Flexibility
, 84

Fluidity
, 84

Football Manager series of videogames
, 49

Fortnite
, 124, 130, 143

Foucault, Michel
, 7, 9, 12, 47, 54, 55–56, 75, 80, 82, 83, 114, 115

Free-to-play
, 130n10

Freedom and Capitalism (Friedman)
, 44

Friedman, Milton
, 44

Game
, 19–32

development of
, 65–66

studies
, 65

Game culture
, 68

‘Gameplay’
, 69

Games of Empire: Global Capitalism and Videogames
, 12

Gamification
, 9

Gaming
, 58n5, 66

cult of
, 75–78

Genre of videogames
, 25n3

Gig economy
, 8–9, 57

Glitches
, 113–116

Glorification of overwork
, 52

Google
, 117

Grand Theft Auto IV
, 38, 143

Grand Theft Auto series
, 26–27

Grind
, 2

Grinding
, 112–113

Gwent: The Witcher Card Game
, 3–4, 143

Harvey, David
, 7–9, 43–45, 119

Heart of Darkness (Conrad)
, 30

Heavy capitalism
, 39, 51

Heavy Rain
, 28, 143

‘Hegemonic neoliberal economic system’
, 53

Heterotopia
, 83

Heterotopia of crisis
, 83

Heterotopic spaces of deviation
, 83

Hoffman, Reid (cofounder of LinkedIn)
, 56

Homo economicus
, 13, 54–55, 75

Homo ludens
, 76

Huizinga, Johan
, 11, 20–23, 36, 76, 97

Human capital
, 47

Icon cards
, 127n5

Identity
, 16

Bloodborne
, 84–85

domestic play
, 81–82

heterotopia
, 83

maps and menus
, 85–90

permadeath mechanics
, 95–99

self-construction
, 80–81

sense of self
, 79–80

space
, 90–95

Ideological meaning
, 32

Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)
, 76, 102, 117

Ideology
, 7, 9, 10, 46–47, 49, 51

Ilinx
, 23

Immediacy
, 120–121

Individualisation
, 84

Institute of Economic Affairs
, 44

Interpellation
, 102, 113, 117

Jameson, Fredric
, 16, 66, 70, 74

9–5 job
, 57

Jouissance
, 48–49

Jurassic Park
, 31

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider
, 28

Learning
, 22

Leisure
, 35

Level progression
, 105–110

Light capitalism
, 39, 51

Liquid modernity
, 12, 39, 47

Liquidity
, 10, 49–50

Lord of the Rings
, 86

Ludography
, 143–144

Lyft (ride-sharing app)
, 52

Lyotard, Jean Francois
, 8, 48, 103, 110

Magnavox Odyssey
, 6

Mapping
, 11

Maps of AAA videogame
, 85, 89

Mario videogame series
, 28–29

Marx, Karl
, 5, 104, 137–138

Mass Effect 3
, 74, 143

Meme
, 106

Mental health crisis
, 53

Menus of AAA videogame
, 85, 89

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
, 28, 143

Microtransactions
, 121–128, 133–134

Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
, 14, 16, 79, 86–87, 143

Middle-earth: Shadow of War
, 14, 16, 86–87, 143

Mimicry
, 23

Minecraft
, 31, 143

Mirror
, 82

‘Mission Giver’
, 87

‘Mod’ (videogame content)
, 118n2

Modern social life
, 5

Modern videogames
, 23

Mont Pelerin Society
, 43

Mortal Kombat X
, 14, 128, 143

Mother–child relationship
, 7

Narratology
, 65

Neoliberal capitalism
, 51, 54

Neoliberal economics
, 44

Neoliberal hegemony
, 58

Neoliberal ideology
, 12–13, 50–51, 61, 71, 77, 101, 117, 119, 122, 137

Neoliberal political policies
, 43

Neoliberal socioeconomic system
, 55

Neoliberal structures
, 51

Neoliberal subjectivity
, 91

Neoliberal theory
, 44

Neoliberalisation
, 10, 49–50, 141

Neoliberalism
, 5, 6, 7–10, 16, 35, 39, 43–46, 49, 71, 86, 101, 138

cult of work and entrepreneurial self
, 52–57

growth of
, 45

neoliberalisation of play
, 57–61

reason for opposing
, 61–63

reason for opposing neoliberalism
, 61–63

understanding
, 46–51

Nintendo 3DS
, 28

Nintendo 64
, 28

Nintendo Switch
, 6, 28

Nintendo Wii
, 6

Non-playable characters
, 78, 105–110

Normalisation of overwork
, 52

Pac-Man
, 6, 143

Parton, Dolly
, 56–57

Permadeath mechanics
, 95–99

Platform capitalism
, 8–9

Platforms
, 117–118

Play
, 10, 16, 19, 32–41, 49, 137

in AAA videogames
, 137

contamination of
, 57

corruption
, 116

demands of neoliberalism in
, 59

form of
, 112

function of
, 21

in game
, 19–32

for Min-Ki
, 59

qualities of
, 57

state of
, 6–12

in videogames
, 5

PlayStation
, 1, 4, 20, 28

Play-space
, 11, 32

in relation to player agency
, 110

‘Playbour’
, 5

Player-centric approaches
, 65–67

PlayStation 3
, 6, 25

PlayStation 4
, 6, 25, 139

PlayStation 5
, 6

Pong
, 6, 19–23, 26

Praxeomorphic
, 39

‘Precariat’
, 52

Precarious socioeconomic conditions structure
, 59

Pro Rank
, 3

PS Vita
, 28

Psychoanalysis
, 48

Qualities of play
, 57

Rational recreation
, 49

Rationality
, 54

Red Dead Redemption II
, 123, 144

Reflexive impotence
, 10, 48, 49

‘Road map’
, 122

Rules
, 26

Rygar
, 144

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
, 113, 143

Self-construction
, 80–81

Sense of self
, 79–80

Separation
, 33

Seriousness
, 22

Sleep deprivation
, 52

Societies of control
, 81

‘Soulsborne’
, 94n5

Space
, 10, 90–95

Space Invaders
, 6, 144

Spec Ops: The Line
, 30, 31, 37–38, 144

Speedrun
, 94

Spot-betting
, 134n11

Stadia platform
, 139

Star Wars
, 129

Star Wars Battlefront II
, 129–130, 144

Steam (videogame distribution service)
, 118n1

‘Storm of Steel’
, 31

Streamer
, 127n4

Structural approach
, 65

Structure-focussed approaches
, 66

Subjectivity
, 54

Super Mario Bros
, 29

Symbolic reward
, 25

Territorial space
, 119

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
, 118, 143

The Last of Us
, 28, 144

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
, 94, 144

The Lord of the Rings series
, 28

The McDonald’s Videogame
, 29–30, 144

The Sims
, 34, 144

Time
, 138

Time–space compression
, 7–8

Tradable assets
, 140

‘Tree glitch’
, 114

Trophies
, 20n1

elusive nature of
, 25

Turn-based strategy games
, 22n2

Uber
, 57, 117

Ultimate Team mode
, 1

Uncertainty
, 40, 95

Unproductive activity
, 11, 13, 21, 24–25, 37, 48, 57, 60, 62, 86, 90, 93, 99, 111, 115, 116, 119, 135, 140

Until Dawn
, 20–23, 26, 28, 144

‘Value-rational’ concept
, 87

Video Olympics
, 6n7, 144

Videogame
, 5, 19, 33–34, 38, 40–41, 66, 79, 84, 104, 111

align with Deleuzian notion of control
, 81

complexity of
, 67

consumption of
, 25

culture
, 115

digital element of videogames
, 140

experience
, 82

and neoliberalism
, 6

series
, 4n6

software of videogames spaces
, 35

understanding
, 68

Virtual reality (VR)
, 19, 139–141

Walkthrough method
, 73

Wellbeing
, 39

Wilson, Andrew (CEO at Electronic Arts)
, 140

Work
, 57

cult of
, 52–57

fetishisation of
, 52

forms of
, 53

nature of
, 53–54

X-COM series
, 96

Xbox 360
, 6

Xbox One
, 6, 20n1, 28, 29n6, 131, 139

Xbox Series X
, 6

XCOM 2
, 76, 96–97, 99, 144

Zelda series
, 102