A systematic literature review of game studies research in the last decade: Where are we now and where do we go from here?

Abstract

This systematic literature review examines academic game studies as a component of digital environments and new media ecosystems through a content analysis of peer-reviewed journal articles (n = 228), published over the last ten years, that include the term "game studies" in the title and/or abstract to reveal the development and directions of the literature on game studies. The literature on game studies was examined in detail to expose the state of research in game studies scholarship in terms of authorship, and geographical and academic contexts, major themes, theoretical perspectives, and commonly used methodological approaches. The paper provides suggestions for theory development, criticizes the field from a political-economy perspective, and suggests directions for future research.