COMM228

This course traces the history of games from their origin through the computer revolution to today. Drawing on the theories of cultural theorist Johan Huizinga and the pioneering video game historian Alexander Smith, we will examine how the activity of play has been shaped by emerging digital technologies, and how early computing was shaped by games. We will examine the social, cultural and economic forces that guided the course of a worldwide cultural phenomenon larger than Hollywood. What can games tell us about how we see ourselves, how human creativity is intermeshed with technology, and how we relate to others? Students should expect to spend about $40 on games for the
course.