Exploring the appeal of digital games to male prisoners

Abstract

While the functions of digital games in terms of stress relief, mood management and gratifications have frequently been discussed and investigated, little is known about how these functions are distributed along different game genres and along diverse populations. In this article, a qualitative study with 17 long-term sentenced male inmates is presented that explores the uses and gratifications associated with digital game play, and links these to the pains arising from detention. The results indicate that the distinct characteristics of digital games provide inmates with an additional tool to manage time, interact with fellow inmates, escape the prison walls, experience aesthetic emotions and regain the feeling of being in control of a situation.