The Toxic Meritocracy of Video Games: Why Gaming Culture Is the Worst
(Paperback)
Available Formats
Publishing Details
The Toxic Meritocracy of Video Games: Why Gaming Culture Is the Worst
By (Author) Christopher A. Paul
University of Minnesota Press
University of Minnesota Press
1st May 2018
United States
Classifications
Professional and Scholarly
Non Fiction
Digital video: consumer / user guides
Virtual worlds
Role-playing, war games and fantasy sports
794.8
Physical Properties
Paperback
280
Width 140mm, Height 216mm, Spine 38mm
Description
New media critic and longtime gamer Christopher A. Paul explains how video games' focus on meritocracy empowers a negative culturefrom the deep-bred misogyny to the endemic malice of abusive player communities. He suggests ways to ultimately foster a more diverse, accepting, and self-reflective culture that is not only good for gamers but for good for video games as well.
Reviews
"Christopher A. Paul is an incisive critic, and The Toxic Meritocracy of Video Games is essential reading for researchers, industry professionals, and players trying to make sense of gaming's culture wars."Carly A. Kocurek, author of Coin-Operated Americans: Rebooting Boyhood at the Video Game Arcade
"Paul offers a compelling and carefully supported argument to deconstruct and reconsider meritocracy in video game culture. An engaging read."CHOICE
"This is a carefully considered book that shines a much-needed light on the toxicity of video game culture and presents some earnest suggestions for how to reform it and the games that inspire it." First Person Scholar
Author Bio
Christopher A. Paul is associate professor in the communication department at Seattle University. He is author of Wordplay and the Discourse of Video Games: Analyzing Words, Design, and Play.
