Bibles and BioShock Affording Religious Discussion on Video Game Forums
L De Wildt, S Aupers - Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on …, 2017 - dl.acm.org
Proceedings of the Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play, 2017•dl.acm.org
This study sets forth to analyze and categorize attitudes shown by communities of players on
internet forums, debating religious worldviews in games such as BioShock and Assassin's
Creed. It does so in light of the theo-and technological affordances that shape these
discussions through the platforms of digital games and internet forums. Is the predominance
of religion in games, as noted by other scholars, actually a topic of discussion for players
themselves? And if so, which games afford discussion? What attitudes are displayed? And …
internet forums, debating religious worldviews in games such as BioShock and Assassin's
Creed. It does so in light of the theo-and technological affordances that shape these
discussions through the platforms of digital games and internet forums. Is the predominance
of religion in games, as noted by other scholars, actually a topic of discussion for players
themselves? And if so, which games afford discussion? What attitudes are displayed? And …
This study sets forth to analyze and categorize attitudes shown by communities of players on internet forums, debating religious worldviews in games such as BioShock and Assassin's Creed. It does so in light of the theo- and technological affordances that shape these discussions through the platforms of digital games and internet forums. Is the predominance of religion in games, as noted by other scholars, actually a topic of discussion for players themselves? And if so, which games afford discussion? What attitudes are displayed? And what are the motivations behind these attitudes? A multi-method approach is presented, analyzing 91 discussions and 20 interviews; rooted in extensive familiarization with the relevant games. Research outcomes include a typology of user attitudes, part of which actively seek out enchantment in the face of secularization. These are theorized in the context of two affordances: the theological affordances of some interactive systems to invite play with religious worldviews in a secularizing world; and the technological affordances of the internet forum as a platform that affords but shapes forum discourse.