Course Syllabus

Game On: Cultural Impact of Games

Course Description

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• Critically analyze games from a cultural, societal, and communication perspective 
• Explore and understand the expressive potential of games 
• Gain a deeper understanding of game mechanics and core fundamentals of game design
• Reflect on the relationship between player and game

Faculty

M.Sc. in Medialogy, specialized in Game Design and User Experiences at Aalborg University, Copenhagen (2014). Overall game- and UI/UX designer with experience in board games, museum installations, escape games, serious games, virtual reality, and video games. Game Designer at Teacup Games since 2023, working on games such as Hell Dive (2025) and Pigeon Guild (ND).

Readings

All readings for the course will be provided on or through Canvas and will include:

• Adams, E. (2009): Fundamentals of Game Design - chapters Games and Video Games, Conventional Games versus Video Games, Key Components of Video Games & The Structure of Video Games
• Salen, K. & Zimmerman, E. (2003): Rules of Play - chapters Meaningful Play, Systems & Interactivity
• Kan, M. (2020, Apr. 10): China Stops Online Sales of Animal Crossing as Protesters Use It to Spread Their Message. PCMag. https://uk.pcmag.com/news-analysis/125604/china-stops-online-sales-of-animal-crossing-as-protesters-use-it-to-spread-their-message
• Stewart, C. (2015, Nov. 15): Corrupted Blood: How Epidemiologists Use World Of Warcraft To Save Lives. AllThatsInteresting.com. https://allthatsinteresting.com/corrupted-blood  
• Eklund, L, & Zanescu, A. (2024). Times They Are A-Changin’? Evolving Representations of Women in the Assassin's Creed Franchise. Games and Culture.
• Spicer, S. G., Fullwood, C., Close, J., Nicklin, L. L., Lloyd, J., & Lloyd, H. (2022). Loot boxes and problem gambling: Investigating the “gateway hypothesis”. Addictive Behaviors.
• Giardina, A., Schimmenti, A., Starcevic, V., King, D. L., Di Blasi, M., & Billieux, J. (2024). Problematic gaming, social withdrawal, and Escapism: The compensatory-dissociative online gaming (C-DOG) model. Computers in Human Behavior.
• Lösel, G. (2023). Puppets, pets or deputies: On the relationship between actors and avatars. ACTOR & AVATAR, 224. 

Field Studies

Field studies in this course aim to give students a better understanding of how players use games for more than just playing as well as how games fit into society and culture. Places may include social venues such as Bastard Cafe or Bip Bip Bar, and game developer studios such as Invisible Walls, Serious Games Interactive, and Betadwarf, as well as the Astralis Nexus Gaming- and Eventcenter in Copenhagen.

Guest Lecturers

Guest lecturers in the course come in to give perspectives inside the development and serious use of video games and may comprise of game designers and CEO's from the Scandinavian industry, e-sport players, and streamers.

Approach to Teaching

In this course, our main focus is discussing how games fit into society, from the experience of individual players to the meaning of gaming on a cultural level. The course will be a mixture of discussing academic- and news material as well as digital material in the form of videos or games, both in- and outside of class. In the course we will center on the academic theories coupling them together with real life examples, both those that students bring with them from their own lives and those presented in class.

This also means that we will be discussing subjects that may not have a 'right answer' or which may touch on problematic subjects in relation to games, such as harassment against players, games with violent content, and addiction. Student opinions are always respected and students are encouraged to talk to me with any concerns they may have for coming discussions in class.

I strongly believe that teaching is reciprocal; students are encouraged to share any knowledge they have from outside the classroom. Questions are greatly encouraged and can be asked outside the classroom as well. As your instructor my main purpose is to guide you in your discussions and provide academic insight in any way I can. 

DIS Accommodations Statement

Your learning experience in this class is important to me.  If you have approved academic accommodations with DIS, please make sure I receive your DIS accommodations letter within two weeks from the start of classes. If you can think of other ways I can support your learning, please don't hesitate to talk to me. If you have any further questions about your academic accommodations, contact Academic Support academicsupport@dis.dk

Expectations of the Students

As our course is discussion based, engaged participation is defined by providing insight and questions in class and during field studies. Students will also be asked to bring smaller assigned tasks such as adding to Canvas discussions, and bringing e.g. posters and avatars to class. To accomodate students who are not inclined to voice their opinion in class, they are free to come to me to find other options for adding to their participation.

Students are expected to be on time for class and attend all scheduled classes. If one misses multiple classes the Director of Teaching and Learning as well as the Director of Student Affairs will be notified, and they will follow up with you to assure that all is well. 

Laptops may be used for note-taking. Use of cell phones during class and field studies will have a negative effect on one's grade unless it has been approved by your instructor.

Students are expected to always respect the viewpoints of other students though they may differ from their own.

Due to the class looking at implications of games in society, uncomfortable subjects will be brought up. Warnings will, to the best of the instructor's ability, be noted in the calendar for that date. Students may ask to be excused for parts of the lecture if they feel it is needed.

Practicum/Lab/Research/Internship

Students are expected to use some time on playing games outside of the classroom relating to both written assignments and class discussions as well as complete smaller assignments. Games will never have a duration of more than half an hour, and all games and assignments that must be brought to classwill be announced no later than a weeks in advance. Students will also receive short quizzes between 5-15 questions related to the definitions of the used theories in class.

Students can expect a reply from their instructor within 24 hours when writing on Canvas. Please be aware that I work outside of DIS when not in class, and can therefore not guarantee that I can have an in-person meeting within short notice, but I am open to finding a time within few days that fit within your schedule.

Evaluation

In class, students will be discussing theories pertaining to games and players both in groups and in plenum as well as watch video clips and play shorter games. 

Students are generally evaluated on their interaction with the provided material. This includes being able to answer and/or ask questions pertaining to the required material as well as building onto theories and applying them. Students are further rewarded for using the material in groups while discussing different topics. More quiet students may use a blog or equivalent to discuss their viewpoints, and alternatives can always be discussed with your instructor. In general higher scores are earned for contributions that make use of academic or in-class provided sources than contributions based on personal rationale.

Assignments are primarily graded on choosing the correct references for the student's points and the associated use of theoretical argumentation. In cases where students produce a product with creative content, artistic ability and -choice will not be part of the grading (ie. ability to draw, how well your instructor likes a proposed game, etc.). Late hand-in without contacting your instructor generally results in a grade deduction of 1 point per day it is late. All written assignments have been given a length noted in ranged of allowed number of words. 

Grading

Academic Regulations

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org