Studying Pixels

Six categories, nine vastly different types. This time, we do a bit of introspection, look at what motivates us to play and what we are yearning for by participating in Quantic Foundry’s Gamer Motivation Profile.In our side quests, we then discuss a ten steps guide on how to interpret video games, share our impressions of Kirby and the Forgotten Land as well as the recent PAX East.Shownotes00:02:28 Which Gamer Type Are You?00:59:55 How to Interpret Digital Games? A Hermeneutic Guide in Ten Points, With References and Bibliography(Michał Kłosiński)01:21:10 Kirby and the Forgotten Land01:29:43 PAX East ImpressionsWebsite | Discord | Twitter | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Say you could cobble together any video game franchises and pair any developer studio with any series. What would you desire to play? Maybe a Silent Hill game by Ninja Theory? Or a Kingdom Hearts authored by Yoko Taro? Or should Level-5 Games finally make the Pokémon game we all desire? Come along and let your imagination run wild for a moment.Website | Discord | Twitter | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Easter eggs can be so much: from an earthly form of crediting developers to self-reflective humor, up to entire transformations of how a game can be read. We go through some of the most memorable easter eggs in video games.In out side quests we relish in anticipation of Kingdom Hearts 4, discuss Microsoft’s potential push of advertisements in console games, and complain about the PS5’s lackluster Bluetooth capabilities.Shownotes00:03:26 10 Awesome Easter Eggs00:46:14 Kingdom Hearts 400:53:14 Microsoft Is Building an Advertising Program for Xbox (Sean Czarnecki and Patrick Coffee)01:04:56 PS5’s Lacking Bluetooth CapabilitiesWebsite | Discord | Twitter | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Players don’t need the designer”, says Miguel Sicart, “they need a game, an excuse and a frame for play.” How much power do rule systems have over the performative process of play? And how is meaning actualized in between the two? We discuss Sicart’s argument Against Procedurality.In our side quests, we then go into the issue of anti-semitism in Hogwarts Legacy, share our review on KungFu Kickball, and ponder the trembling online infrastructure of the Dark Souls series.Shownotes00:05:48 Reading Miguel Sicart’s Against ProceduralitySicart, Miguel (2011) Against ProceduralityStudying Pixels #22 Reading Ian Bogost: The Rhetoric of Video Games00:51:26 Listener Mail: Antisemitism in Hogwarts LegacyStudying Pixels #27 Should We Shun Hogwarts Legacy?01:05:37 KungFu Kickball01:11:34 Dark Souls multiplayer tags disappear from Steam, and fans are getting nervous (Andy Chalk)Website | Discord | Twitter | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On more than one occasion, J.K. Rowling has proven to be profoundly ignorant to the concerns of trans people. So should we shun Hogwarts Legacy, a promising title with a troubled background? And can we ever hope for the ‘death of the author’ (in the sense of Roland Barthes’ literary theory), if said author is actively fearmongering on Twitter? These and more questions we discuss to explore whether we should shun Hogwarts Legacy.In our side quests, we then talk about the cancellation of E3, the rework of PlayStation Plus, and our impressions of Ghostwire Tokyo.Shownotes00:06:44 Should We Shun Hogwarts Legacy?J.K. Rowling Writes about Her Reasons for Speaking out on Sex and Gender Issues (Joanne Kathleen Rowling)A Complete Breakdown of the J.K. Rowling Transgender-Comments Controversy (Abby Gardner)Judith Butler: ‘We need to rethink the category of woman’ (Jules Gleeson)Butler, Judith (1990) Gender TroubleButler, Judith (1996) Bodies That MatterHarry Potter Video Game Will Allow Transgender Characters (Jason Schreier)Why I’m not buying the Harry Potter game (Stacey Henley)00:59:56 E3 2022 - Digital and Physical - Has Officially Been Canceled (Rebekah Valentine)01:06:45 All-new PlayStation Plus launches in June with 700+ games and more value than ever (Jim Ryan)01:18:51 Ghostwire TokyoWebsite | Discord | Twitter | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rise, Tarnished! Elden Ring has been getting nothing but perfect reviews, but does it really live up to the hype? The short answer is yes, but you should still listen to why Elden Ring is the most fun open-world game since Breath of the Wild. Beautiful vistas, well-written characters, and satisfying gameplay abound in this discussion of FromSoftware’s latest triumph!In our side quests, we then debate Rockstar Games’ announcement of GTA+ and give our final review of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin.Shownotes00:02:23 Elden Ring00:55:13 Introducing GTA+ for GTA Online (Rockstar Games)01:05:39 Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy OriginWebsite | Discord | Twitter | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Every long-running franchise has an origin story, and Final Fantasy is no exception. This week, we discuss the creative endeavors of Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi and his team, and how the massively influential JRPG got its start. It’s a romantic tale of dreams, fate, and a last ditch effort of a near-bankrupt company and the game that changed it all.In our side quests, we befittingly share our first impressions of Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin and relish in the profound success of Elden Ring.Shownotes00:02:40 The Origins of Final Fantasy00:42:48 Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin00:50:07 Elden Ring described as start of a "new franchise", following enormous 12m sales milestone (Tom Phillips)Website | Discord | Twitter | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There was a very brief buzz around the release of Horizon II: Forbidden West, just before Elden Ring drowned out the entire discourse. We want to give Horizon its well deserved time in the spotlight, as we discuss its qualities and, most importantly, its commentary on climate change, and insights on what it means to be an outsider.In our side quests, we discuss the impact of the Russian invasion of Ukraine to the video game industry, review the Uncharted movie, and collaboratively complain about a lack of gameplay footage in recent video game showcases.Shownotes00:02:25 Horizon II: Forbidden West00:53:22 Further video game companies withdraw from the Russian market01:02:03 Nintendo delays Advance Wars reboot citing ‘recent world events’ (Ash Parrish)01:05:52 Uncharted Movie01:14:49 Sony’s State of PlayWebsite | Discord | Twitter | Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you ever made a spiritual experience when playing a video game? Some downright lend themselves to it, such as Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture or Journey. But how would you know whether any experience is spiritual and aren’t video games with their technological foundation pretty much the opposite of transcendental? We discuss exactly such questions with Dr. Felix Schniz, Director and Co-Founder of the Game Studies and Engineering Programme at Klagenfurt University.In our side quests we then talk about the ramifications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for the video game industry as well as the complications of juggling games such as Elden Ring and Horizon II: Forbidden West.Shownotes00:07:40 Spiritual Experiences in Video Games (with Dr. Felix Schniz)00:45:25 Ukraine’s open letter to video game developers (Mykhailo Federov)00:55:36 World of Tanks studio fires creative director who voiced support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine (Andy Chalk)01:05:00 Juggling Games like Elden Ring and Horizon II: Forbidden West Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Video games do not just tell stories and show us more or less pretty pictures. By means of their procedural rhetoric, they “make claims about the world, which players can understand, evaluate, and deliberate”, says Ian Bogost in his influential article The Rhetoric of Video Games (2008). Join us as we unpack the concept of procedural rhetoric and test its applicability to contemporary video games.In our side quests, we share our initial impressions of Elden Ring, talk about the conflation of game footage for videos from Ukraine, and evaluate the current woth of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack.Shownotes00:05:00 Reading Ian Bogost: The Rhetoric of Video Games (2008)Studying Pixels #11 Reading Gonzalo Frasca: Simulation vs Narrative00:53:59 Elden Ring01:04:36 Some Of The Most Popular 'Ukraine Footage' Is From A Video Game (Luke Plunkett)01:14:51 Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With its departure from the established formular and the introduction of a range of new mechanics, Pokémon Legends: Arceus has us excited and disappointed at the same time. In our review we go over everything that Arceus excels at and all the ways in which it falters.In our side quests, we share our initial impressions of Horizon II: Forbidden West and Sifu, before we discuss the blossoming of Cyberpunk 2077 and the curious find of hundreds of rare sealed video game cartridges.Shownotes 00:02:30 Pokémon Legends: Arceus 00:30:32 Horizon II: Forbidden West 00:41:07 Sifu 00:48:48 Cyberpunk 2077: Patch 1.5 & Next-Generation Update (CD Projekt Red) 00:55:07 Hundreds Of Rare Sealed Nintendo and Sega Games Discovered In Nebraska Storage Facility (Ryan Dinsdale) 00:59:45 Conference: Culture at Play. Spaces – Colours – Stories in Digital Games (University of Freiburg) 01:03:42 Pokémon Legends: Arceus: Spoiler Part Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Understanding the workings of computers, coding, and technological infrastructure is one of the most imperative skills of the 21st century. Even more important then is to introduce children to such concepts. But how? – With the award winning children’s book series Hello Ruby, our guest Linda Liukas rethinks how to convey computer education in an approachable yet equally compelling manner.In our side quests, we talk about the demise and potential future of Google Stadia, the prison sentence for hacker Gary Bowser, and Russia’s restrictions of gay and queer identities.Shownotes 00:04:05 Computer Education (with Linda Liukas) 00:33:28 Google is trying to salvage its failing Stadia game service with a new focus on striking deals with Peloton, Bungie, and others under the brand 'Google Stream' (Hugh Langley) 00:43:46 Bowser sentenced to 40-month prison sentence for video game crimes (Igor Bonifacic) 00:49:36 The Sims 4 wedding expansion won't release in Russia because of anti-gay law (Andy Chalk) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Triforce is one of the most recognizable symbols in gaming, but did you know that it finds its origins in Japanese history? Often these symbols that pop up in video games have deep roots in history, culture, and even religion, and the Triforce is no different. Join us as we discuss the cultural history of this legendary Zelda symbol, including its mythopoeic origins, and its ties to a historical Japanese family!In our side quests, we then discuss Sony’s acquisition of Bungie as well the flood of high-profile games coming out this month.Shownotes00:04:55 Kamon: The Origin of the Triforce Studying Pixels #16 Learning Japanese with Video Games (with Matt/Game Gengo) The Real History of the Triforce (Luke Plunkett) Kunisada, Lord Hojo Tokimasa Dreaming Benzeiten 00:33:14 PlayStation: Bungie deal is about multiplatform, live-service games (Christopher Dring) Sony offers Bungie employees $1.2 billion retention incentive plan (Derek Strickland)00:45:06 Why a new huge video game is being released every week (Nicole Carpenter)00:52:30 New Journal: Play/Write Student Journal00:54:46 A MAZE: Call for Games Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Time for another one of our special episodes, a brief break from the regular business, and instead a tense guessing game. Listen to us struggle as we try to find whatever game we might be thinking of in 20 questions. Did you get any of them right before we did? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is the biggest acquisition in video games so far and we are…surprised to say the least. But what does Microsoft’s planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard actually mean for video game culture, for the way we play, and for the market of the future? Come along as we discuss limitations and possibilities.In our side quests, we then dive into some NFT chatter as we cover the GDC’s annual State of the Game Industry report as well as several cases of copyright infringements.Shownotes00:04:28 What does Microsoft purchasing Activision Blizzard mean for video game culture? Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard to bring the joy and community of gaming to everyone, across every device (Microsoft) Microsoft to acquire Activision Blizzard for $68.7 billion (Tom Warren) Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick expected to leave once Microsoft deal closes - report (Tom Phillips) Bobby Kotick interview: Why Activision Blizzard did the deal with Microsoft (Dean Takahashi) Microsoft Buys Scandal-Tainted Activision in Bet on Metaverse (Nate Lanxon) Sony stock value plummets $20bn following word of Microsoft Activision Blizzard deal (Tom Phillips) Twitter statement by ABK Workers Alliance 00:55:29 GDC State Of The Game Industry 2022: Devs Weigh In On NFTs, Unions, And More (GDC Staff)01:11:52 Content Creators Are Having Their Pictures And YouTube Channels Stolen And Sold As NFTs (Rhiannon Bevan)Tweet by Jim Stephanie SterlingTweet by Alanah Pearce Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.