How They Got Game: Cultural Implications of Interactive Simulations and Video Games

Based in Stanford's Humanities Lab (SHL), a founding member of HASTAC, this project explores how video games shape local and global culture. Once the late-night amusement of nerds and hackers, video games and interactive media have emerged as one of the most vibrant elements of todays entertainment and military industries. Massively multiplayer games bring into contact players from many countries, cultures, and age groups, challenging players to individually and collaboratively contemplate and manipulate the history and future of virtual worlds. Militaries are using similar platforms to develop strategy and train troops and ultimately create change in the real world. Despite the growing popularity and legitimacy of these games, the importance of the medium has all but eluded notice by most scholars. This project explores and documents the development and impact of such networked, interactive, massively multiplayer virtual worlds.

The How They Got Game project is pleased to announce that we will be starting up a new journal, with the title Historical Studies of Digital Entertainment Media.  The new journal will be edited by Matteo Bittanti and Henry Lowood and will be published exclusively online.  We have been working with a group of authors for the first issue, which we hope will be published Winter 2009.  The theme for this first issue will be "Digital Games: Historical and Preservation Studies."  We hope soon to be able to announce the members of the editorial board.