Видеоигры как социальный институт: различные аспекты институционализации

Abstract

This article examines video games and game journalism as social institutions. The author proposes to move away from the fragmented perception of the gaming industry, looking at it as an interconnection of cultural, social, economic and political processes. Particular attention is paid to the regulation of video games by the state, the emergence of gamers’ own language, cultural differences between developers and narratives in games as indicators of institutionalization. In addition to the above, an attempt is made to understand the culture of participation, publicity and mass participation as factors of institutionalization that allowed the video game industry to emerge from the status of entertainment. The problems associated with the institutionalization of video games are also briefly touched upon: new ethics, social responsibility, the problem of commercial success, censorship and unification. In conclusion, the article analyzes the possibility of using an institutional approach to video games in future research, and outlines the prospects for a comprehensive study of their impact on society and the state.