Abstract
This article repurposes Campbell’s (2005) concept of ‘the craft consumer’ to generate a new theory of video game consumption, which proposes that we identify the material practices typically associated with craft labour within acts of digital play. We draw on case studies from popular and community-driven video game titles including Dark Souls and Super Mario Maker to make our argument, suggesting that a grasp of the controls initiates material practices, like repetition, which provide the groundwork for craft skill. It is from this position that we argue that consumers initiate a craft-like ‘dialogue’ (Sennett R (2008) The Craftsman. London: Yale University Press.) with the game’s design that reveals the experimental and creative nature of video game consumption. Importantly, these case studies provide evidence to meet with Campbell’s definition of ‘craft consumption’ as an (1) ‘ensemble activity’ and (2) as a ‘collection’ of handmade things. The result is a better understanding of the consumer as someone who initiates experiences of skilled labour and creative self-expression through the craft of playing a video game. This article presents a new understanding of the (gaming) consumer whilst also challenging the idea that the experience of ‘craft consumption’ is typically reserved for the middle or professional classes, as Campbell maintains.
Highlights
In an earlier edition of this journal, Campbell (2005) proposes that social scientists should recognise the existence of consumers who engage in what he terms ‘craft consumption’ – an Journal of Consumer Culture 0(0)alternative perspective of the consumer set alongside traditional images of ‘the rational hero’, ‘the dupe’ and the ‘postmodern identity-seeker’
We propose that the same is true in the context of video game consumption, where explanations of the video game consumer have tended towards a focus on ‘rational pleasure seeking’ (Holbrook et al, 1984; Molesworth, 2009), compliant with capitalism and the ‘culture industry’ (Kirkpatrick, 2013; Wark, 2009) and seeking out new social and cultural identities (Muriel and Crawford, 2018)
Like Campbell, we argue that what is missing from these accounts is a discussion of the ‘craft’ (Sennett, 2008) – the skill, knowledge, judgement and passion – present within acts of video game consumption and what material practices video gaming inaugurates through our use of the controls
Summary
Alternative perspective of the consumer set alongside traditional images of ‘the rational hero’, ‘the dupe’ and the ‘postmodern identity-seeker’. Through case studies of the popular video game titles Dark Souls (From Software, 2009–2017) and Super Mario Maker (Nintendo, 2015–2019) we will unpack how the hands acquire skill, generate understanding and express creativity through the producing and consuming of digital artefacts These games make appropriate case studies due to the strongly community-driven nature of both games: in both cases several or even many years old, extremely active communities remain around both games who continually innovate and perfect new ways of playing. In considering these games, we will focus on the material practices of ‘repetition’, ‘modulation’ and ‘consistency’ (Sennett, 2008) present within these forms of consumption to show how video game play has elements of haptic, tacit and reflexive knowledge production. These examples will show that consumers relate to video games as collections of handmade objects that they preserve and display as tangible symbols of identity (Molesworth and Denegri-Knott, 2007)
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