It is with a melancholic sigh that one looks back at the Neanderthal days of early Game Studies. The field seemed so wide and fresh, so unexplored. And games researchers had so much to talk about as they stepped into that undiscovered country. Aristotle and Propp were exciting, hidden universes seemed to open up behind words like ‘ludic’, ‘narrative’, or ‘ergodic.’ Opinions were crafted, arguments waged, and more fine new words were invented. It was clear: Game Studies was something different, something special, something new. But those pioneering days are gone. Continue reading →