www.ssoar.info Do you believe in magic? Computer games in everyday life Pargman, Daniel; Jakobsson, Peter Postprint / Postprint Zeitschriftenartikel / journal article Zur Verfügung gestellt in Kooperation mit / provided in cooperation with: www.peerproject.eu Empfohlene Zitierung / Suggested Citation: Pargman, Daniel ; Jakobsson, Peter: Do you believe in magic? Computer games in everyday life. In: European Journal of Cultural Studies 11 (2008), 2, pp. 225-244. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1367549407088335 Nutzungsbedingungen: Dieser Text wird unter dem "PEER Licence Agreement zur Verfügung" gestellt. Nähere Auskünfte zum PEER-Projekt finden Sie hier: http://www.peerproject.eu Gewährt wird ein nicht exklusives, nicht übertragbares, persönliches und beschränktes Recht auf Nutzung dieses Dokuments. Dieses Dokument ist ausschließlich für den persönlichen, nicht-kommerziellen Gebrauch bestimmt. 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'AMESCANBEFUNBUTFORTHEMOSTPARTPLAYINGCOMPUTERGAMESMEANT SOMETHINGELSESOMETHINGMOREPROSAICHAVINGSOMETHINGTODOWHEN COMINGHOMEFROMSCHOOLSOMETHINGTHATTAKESTHEMINDOFFHOMEWORK AWAYTOKEEPUPWITHFRIENDSONLINEORSOMETHINGTOTALKABOUTWHEN MEETINGFRIENDSOFFLINE3OMEGAMERSPLAYEDGAMESWHENEVERTHEYHAD ANHOURORTWOTOSPARE-ANYOTHERSPREFERREDTOPLAYINTHEEVENINGOR ATNIGHTBYTHENTHEYHADFINISHEDALLTHEIRCHORESINCLUDINGCOURSEWORK ANDCOULDPLAYWITHOUTBEINGDISTURBEDBYSUNLIGHTTELEPHONECALLSOR BADCONSCIENCEOVERUNDONETASKS #OMPUTERGAMESASAMONOTONOUSACTIVITY 0LAYINGCOMPUTERGAMESFORLONGHOURSCANBECOMEAROUTINEACTIVITY AMONGOTHEREVERYDAYROUTINEACTIVITIES3OMEGOFURTHERANDFINDPLEASURE INMOREORLESSMONOTONOUSGAMINGEXPERIENCESAKINTOREADINGTHESAME BOOKORWATCHINGTHESAMEMOVIEOVERANDOVERAGAIN O@ QF L @ M @ M C I @ J N A R R N M C N X N T A D K H D U D H M L @ F H B * )HAVESATANDPLAYEDTHIS;GAME=DISTURBINGLYMUCHLATELY!NDTHISISTHE KINDOFGAME)DONTWINTHATMUCHPLAYINGITANYLONGERTHERESNOSTORY TOFOLLOWANYLONGER"UT)SITANDPLAYITANYWAYPRIMARILYBECAUSE)HAVE GOTINTOMYHEADTHATYOUWILLGETSOMETHINGIFYOUMANAGEPERCENT )THINKYOUGETTHEWHOLE0LANFROM/UTER3PACEACOMPLETELYBRILLIANT MOVIE0ARTICIPANT% 'ENERALLY)LIKEEVERYTHINGTHATISREPETITIVE4OSIMPLYREPEATOVERANDOVER ANDOVER.OTLARGEGRANDIOSEWORLDSORRUNNINGAROUNDANDEXPLORINGOR THINGSLIKETHAT)THINKTHATSREALLYSENSELESSLYBORING"UTTOSPEEDRUNIN 1UAKEORPLAYDEFRAGMAPSORREPEATCOMBOSIN4ONY(AWKOVERANDOVER )HAVENOIDEA;WHY)LIKEIT=)TSPRETTYANALASPLAYINGGOESBECAUSEINTHE ENDWHENYOUVEDONEITREALLYGOODYOUJUSTCHASETHOUSANDTHSORHUNDREDTHS OFASECONDTOSHORTENYOURRECORD0ARTICIPANT! 4HISDOESNOTSOUNDLIKEARECIPEFORFUN0ARTICIPANT!RECOGNIZED THISHIMSELFANDHADPROBLEMSEXPLAININGWHYHEPLAYEDGAMESINTHIS PARTICULARWAY(OWEVERTHEREARESEVERALCHARACTERISTICSOFAFLOWEX PERIENCE#SÓKSZENTMIHÉLYIPRESENTEDHERESUCHASCHALLENGES LEARNINGGOALSSKILLSFEEDBACKANDCONTROL #OMPUTERGAMESAS@SPORTDEATH !LTHOUGHGAMESCANBEFUNONECANNOTEXPECTSOMEONEWHOPLAYSFOR 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ALWAYSTHINK@(OWDIDTHEYDOTHATANDTHENTHEWHOLEILLUSIONBREAKS DOWN0ARTICIPANT% !FTERYOUSPENDMOREANDMORETIMEDEVELOPINGGAMESMAYBEYOUBECOME LESSINTERESTEDINREALLYPLAYINGGAMESTHATMUCHYOUONLYTHINKABOUTHOW EVERYTHINGISDONEBUTTHATCANBEFUNTOOFORTHATMATTERx)TISSOMETIMES HARDTOCONCENTRATEONTHEGAMEITSELFWHENYOUKNOWTOOMUCH9OUSEEALL THESMALLDETAILSHOWTHEYHAVEANIMATEDITOVERTHERETHEYHAVEMADEA SMALLERRORTHATTEXTUREDIDNOTLOOKSOGOOD0ARTICIPANT& 3EVERALPARTICIPANTSCOMMENTEDTHATTHEYSAW@THROUGHTHEGAMETHE UNDERLYINGBUILDINGBLOCKSANDTHATTHEYCOULDSELDOMSUSPENDTHEIR DISBELIEFANYLONGER@4HEYVEDONELIKETHATHEREWITHTHISEFFECTTHATS COOLOK)CANIMPLEMENTTHATINMYOWNGAME0ARTICIPANT$ #OMPUTERGAMESASMAGICAL 4HEPARTICIPANTSDIDDESCRIBETRULYMAGICALGAMINGSITUATIONSBUTUSUALLY WHENASKEDABOUTTHEIRBESTGAMINGEXPERIENCESEVERORWHENASKEDIN ABSTRACTTERMSWHATTHEFUNOFGAMINGIS )CANSAYWHY)THINKITISFUN;TOPLAYCOMPUTERGAMES=ANDTHATISWELLTHE WHOLETHINGABOUTGETTINGTOKNOWABOUTANOTHERWORLDORGETTINGTOKNOW ABOUTANOTHERCHARACTERANOTHERROLEAWAYTOGETAWAYFROMEVERYDAY LIFE)GUESSTHATSWHATISFASCINATINGTHATITSANOTHERWORLDSOTOSPEAK 0ARTICIPANT" $ESPITETHEFACTTHATMOSTEVERYDAYGAMINGSITUATIONSARENOTMAGICAL THEREWERESOMESITUATIONSTHATCOULDBEDESCRIBEDAPTLYINTERMSOFA MAGICCIRCLEATPLAY(OWEVERESTABLISHINGSUCHACIRCLEDOESNOTCOMEFOR FREEANDCREATINGITISRATHERAMATTEROFEXPECTATIONPREPARATIONAND HARDWORK )NTERVIEWER7HATWASTHESITUATIONLIKEWHENYOUPLAYED3ILENT(ILL 0ARTICIPANT%4HESITUATIONWASTHATWEKNEWWEPLAYEDAHORRORGAMEWE TURNEDOFFTHELIGHTSINTHEWHOLEDAMNAPARTMENTITWASPITCHDARKRAISED THEVOLUMEONTHE46ANDTHENWESATREALLYCLOSE;TOTHESCREEN=ANDWE SHATOURPANTS )NTERVIEWER7E 0ARTICIPANT%7EWEREAGANGPLAYINGITDOYOUTHINK)PLAYTHATSHITALONE !REYOUINSANE/HMYGOD4HEREWEREFOUROFUS)TSONEOFTHOSETHINGS THATARESORTOFFUNNY)MQUITECAREFULINTRYINGTOMAKETHEEXPERIENCEAS D T Q N O D @ M I N T Q M @ K N E B T KS T Q @ K R S T C H D R GOODASPOSSIBLE)NPARTICULARINHORRORGAMES)CANTTAKEHORRORGAMES BECAUSE)MSUCHAFUCKINGCHEERLEADERWHEN)STARTTOSCREAM"UT)MLIKE THAT)MALMOSTSELFDESTRUCTIVEWHEN)PLAYHORRORGAMESASAPARTFROMHOW MANYOTHERSDOIT4URNOFFTHELIGHTSLOCKUPONWITHTHEHEADPHONESTURN UPTHEVOLUMETURNDOWNTHEINTENSITYOFTHEGAMMA!NDTHEN)SITITENDS WITHME)STILLHAVE#LIVE"ARKERS5NDYINGDOWNONMYBOOKSHELFWHICH )THINKISTHEBESTHORRORGAMEEVER"UT)HAVENTDAREDTOPLAYITTHROUGH )WILLNEVERDOTHATn)SHITMYPANTSWHEN)HEARTHEINTROTHEME;MUSIC= ONTHEMENU)TCANTBEDONE 7EALSOSAWTHISPREPARATIONFORWORKINGHARDINORDERTO@CHARGE THECIRCLEWITHMAGICWHENSOMEOFTHEPARTICIPANTSTALKEDWORSHIPFULLY ABOUT4HE'AMEFORWHICHTHEYHADBEENWAITINGFORAYEARORLONGER!T THETIMEANDFORSOMEPARTICIPANTSTHISGAMEWAS4HE%LDER3CROLLS)6 /BLIVION"ETHESDA3OFTWORKSRELEASED-ARCHIN3WEDEN #OMPUTERGAMESEXPANDINGINTHEFOURDIMENSIONS !SISCLEARTHEPARTICIPANTSHABITUALLYPLAYGAMESINAVARIETYOFWAYS ANDFORAVARIETYOFREASONSWITHOUTENTERINGINTOANYTHINGEVENREMOTELY CORRESPONDINGTOAMAGICCIRCLE4HIS@COLONIZINGMOVEISTHEOPPOSITEOF WHATHASBEENCLAIMEDFORPERVASIVEGAMESWHICHARESAIDTOEXPANDINTO EVERYDAYLIFE.IEUWDORPEXPLAINSTHATPERVASIVEGAMESARESUPPOSED TOEXPANDTHESEMIOTICDOMAINOFTHEGAMEINTOTHEDOMAINOFEVERYDAY LIFE4OMAKETHISSHIFTINWHICHTHEORDINARYBECOMESPARTOFWHATIS [email protected] 4HEMOMENTONEENTERSTHATSTATEIS THEINSTANCEINWHICHA@NORMALPERSONPARTICIPATINGINALIFEWORLDDOMAIN DECIDESTOREJECTTHEPRACTICESANDCONVENTIONSWITHINTHATPARTICULARSEMIOTIC DOMAINTOENTERANOTHERMOREPLAYFULONE.IEUWDORP (OWEVERWETHINKTHATINMANYSITUATIONSITISMORECORRECTTOSAYTHAT EVERYDAYLIFECOMESTOENCOMPASSGAMEPLAYRATHERTHANTHEOTHERWAY AROUND )T IS CLEAR THAT THE PARTICIPANTS OFTEN PLAYED GAMES WITHOUT ADOPTINGALUSORYATTITUDEORENTERINGAPARATELICSTATE4HEYSHIFTED THEIRATTENTIONBETWEENAMESSAGINGSERVICETHESTOVEANDTHEGAMEAND FORTHEMTHISDIDNOTMEANTHATTHEEVERYDAYACTIVITIESTOOKONMAGICAL QUALITIESRATHERTHEOPPOSITE !NOTHERTHINGTHATWASMADECLEARBYTHEPARTICIPANTSWASTHATASGAMES WERESUCHALARGEPARTOFWHATTHEYANDTHEIRFRIENDSIDENTIFIEDTHEM SELVESWITHTHEREWERENUMEROUSDIFFERENTREASONSTOPLAYTHEM/NE REASONWASTHATONEJUSTHADTOPLAYGAMESTOKEEPUPWITHTHEGAMING SCENE!NOTHERWASTHATONEHADTOPRACTISESKILLSTOKEEPUPWITHOTHER PEOPLEONEPLAYEDWITHEITHERONLINEOROFFLINE7HILENOTHAVINGMUCH TODOWITHTHE@MAGICOFGAMESTHESEKINDSOFINCENTIVESANDPRESSURES WEREALARGEPARTOFWHATGAMESANDGAMINGMEANTTOTHEPARTICIPANTS (OMO,UDENS(UIZINGA;=WASWRITTENALMOSTYEARSAGO ANDTHEGAMESITREFERSTOAREHUNDREDSIFNOTTHOUSANDSOFYEARSOLD O@ QF L @ M @ M C I @ J N A R R N M C N X N T A D K H D U D H M L @ F H B * 3EVERALWEREPARTOFRITUALACTSWHICHMARKEDSPECIALTIMESINTHELIVESOF COMMUNITIESANDINDIVIDUALS(UIZINGASGAMESWEREOFTENEXTRAORDINARY INALITERALSENSEBUTGAMESTODAYHAVEBECOMEUBIQUITOUSANDORDINARY 'AMESHAVEEXPANDEDINTHEFOURDIMENSIONSARESUDDENLYALLAROUNDUS ANDATALLTIMESINLIVINGROOMSHOMES46QUIZSHOWSCELLPHONESPUBLIC EVENTSANDKICKOFFS!LTHOUGHTHEMATERIALHEREHASBEENCOLLECTEDONLY FROMHARDCOREGAMERSWETHINKTHATTHISISANADVANTAGEANDTHATTHE RESULTSPRESENTEDMAKECERTAINISSUESEASIERTOSEEWHICHAREPRESENTFOR OTHERGROUPSOFGAMERSAVERAGECASUALGAMERSANDINMANYOTHERSITU ATIONSWHEREGAMINGHAPPENS!ARSAND*OHANSSON 'ALLOWAYWRITESABOUTTHESIMPLEACTOFPRESSINGTHEPAUSE BUTTONWHENPLAYINGAGAME$ESPITETHESIMPLICITYOFTHEACTITISDIF FICULTTOEXPLAINBYINVOKINGTHEMAGICCIRCLE(OWEVERRAREMOMENTS OF@MAGICSEEMEDTOBEINTHELIVESOFTHEPARTICIPANTSANDITWOULDBE USEFULTOHAVEAWAYOFCONCEPTUALIZINGGAMINGWHICHCANHANDLEBOTH @MAGICAND@NONMAGICGAMINGSITUATIONS7HATISNEEDEDISATHEORYTHAT ALLOWSFORFLUIDTRANSITIONSBETWEENTHEINSIDEANDTHEOUTSIDEOFTHECIRCLE MUCHLIKE#ASTRONOVAAND.IEUWDORPSIDEASABOUTTHEMAGICCIRCLEASA @MEMBRANE4HISARTICLEMOVESONTOTHISSUBJECTINTRODUCINGTHECON CEPTOFTHEWEAKBOUNDARYHYPOTHESIS &RAMINGTHEMAGICCIRCLE 0RESENTINGTHEWEAKBOUNDARYHYPOTHESISDRAWSHEAVILYONTHEWORKOF SOCIOLOGIST'ARY!LAN&INEINHISBOOK3HARED&ANTASY&INEIN TURNDREWONTHEWORKOFTHEEMINENTSOCIOLOGIST%RVING'OFFMANES PECIALLYHISBOOK&RAME!NALYSIS!SHORTINTRODUCTIONTOTHESE THOUGHTSWILLBEGIVENHERE "ASICALLYALLTHESEEMINGLYPROBLEMATICEXAMPLESABOVERUNUPAGAINST THESTRONGBOUNDARYBETWEENTHEINSIDEANDTHEOUTSIDEOFTHEMAGICCIRCLE 4HATBOUNDARYISDESCRIBEDASBINARYASONOFFADICHOTOMYSEPARATING MAGICALGAMESITUATIONSFROMNONGAMEORDINARYLIFESITUATIONS3EVERAL OFTHEEXAMPLESSEEMTO@SHORTCIRCUITTHEINSIDEANDTHEOUTSIDEOFTHE MAGICCIRCLEBUTWHEREEXACTLYDOESTHATLEAVEIT 4HESUGGESTIONHEREISTOADOPTTHEMUCHMOREFLEXIBLEIDEAOFFRAMES WITHINFRAMESWHENTHINKINGABOUTTHEGAMINGSITUATION4HEORDINARY LIFEFRAMEALSOCALLEDPRIMARYFRAMEWORKISTHEBASELINEFORANYANDALL ACTIVITIES(OWEVERINMANYCASESWEESTABLISHENTERANDMAINTAINSUB FRAMESTHATREDEFINETHESITUATIONATHAND)NATYPICALDAYFOREXAMPLE THEFIRSTAUTHORTYPICALLYSWITCHESBETWEENTHEROLESOFUNIVERSITYLECTURER ADVISERTOASTUDENTWRITINGTHEIRTHESISACUSTOMERWAITINGFORSERVICEIN ASHOPAHUSBANDANDFATHER)NALLOFTHESEROLESONETRIESTOFULFILTHE EXPECTATIONSOFTHEIR@AUDIENCEASBESTTHEYCAN'OFFMAN!NOTHER IMPORTANTROLEISTHATOFAGAMERADOPTINGTHELUSORYATTITUDE3ALENAND :IMMERMANAADHERINGTOTHERULESANDACCEPTINGTHELIMITATIONS OFTHEGAMEONEISPLAYING D T Q N O D @ M I N T Q M @ K N E B T KS T Q @ K R S T C H D R 4HEREISNOTHINGMAGICALABOUTSWITCHINGBETWEENTHESEROLES)TIS SOMETHINGWEDOALLTHETIMEANDCANBEDONELITERALLYATTHEBLINKOFAN EYE)TISANALOGOUSTO@CODESWITCHINGIETHEWAYTHATABILINGUALPER SONCANSWITCHBETWEENLANGUAGESUNPROBLEMATICALLYIFTHESITUATIONSO DEMANDSIT%LLIS4HUSAPLAYER!LANCANBEDEEPLYINVOLVEDIN ADISCUSSIONABOUTGAMERELATEDISSUES@)NEEDTOUNDERSTANDHOWSPAWN POINTSWORKANDTHENSAYTHATHE@NEEDSTOGOTOTHEBATHROOMWITHOUT CONFUSIONBREAKINGOUTAMONGTHEOTHERPLAYERS4HEYALLUNDERSTAND THAT!LANSWITCHEDFRAMEANDTHATTHECOMMENTABOUTTHESPAWNPOINT WASUTTEREDBY!LANTHEPLAYERWHILETHECOMMENTABOUTTHEBATHROOM WASUTTEREDBY!LANTHEPERSON/NTOPOFTHIS!LANJUGGLESYETANOTHER FRAMETHATOF,OHARTHEMIGHTYWARRIORPLAYEDBY!LANTHEPLAYER ,OHARHASYETOTHERNEEDS@)NEEDTOBASHINTHEMAGICIANSHEADBEFORE HETRANSFORMSMEINTOATOAD @7EAKASINWEAKBOUNDARYHYPOTHESISDOESNOTMEANTHATDIFFERENT FRAMESPERSONnPLAYERnCHARACTERAREUNCLEARORFLOATTOGETHERANDMIX !TEVERYSPECIFICPOINTINTIMEANDFOREVERYUTTERANCEORACTIONONLYONE FRAMEISACTIVE-ISUNDERSTANDINGSABOUTWHICHFRAMEISBEINGINVOKED CANGENERATEMIRTHBUTPEOPLEARESURPRISINGLYADEPTATGRASPINGWHERE WEAREINFRAMESPACEATANYSPECIFICMOMENTASIMPLIEDBYTHETITLEOF A3WEDISH0H$THESISABOUTCOMPUTERGAMES@4IMETO%AT/KAY)LL*UST $IE&IRST*OHANSSON4HEACTIVEFRAMEISTHEFRAMETHATANSWERS THEIMPLICITQUESTION@WHATISGOINGONHERE'OFFMAN7HAT ISGOINGONHERE)HADTOGOTOTHEKITCHENTOFINDSOMETHINGTOEAT 7HATISGOINGONHERE)WANTYOUTOEXPLAINHOWSPAWNPOINTSWORKIN THISGAME7HATISGOINGONHERE)SUSPECTHEISTRYINGTOTURNMEINTO ATOADANDANYWAY)DLIKETOHAVEHISCRYSTAL7HAT@WEAKREFERSTOHERE ISTHATTHEBOUNDARIESBETWEENTHEDIFFERENTFRAMESAREPERMEABLEAND ITISPOSSIBLEBUTNOTNECESSARYTOMOVEBETWEENTHEMEFFORTLESSLY4HE NEXTUTTERANCECANREFERTOANYFRAME4HEFACTTHATITISEASYTOSWITCH BACKANDFORTHBETWEENBEINGAPERSONINTHEORDINARYLIFEFRAMEANDA PLAYERINTHEGAMEFRAMEASTHENEEDARISESMAKESTHEWEAKBOUNDARY HYPOTHESISVERYDIFFERENTFROMTHEMAGICCIRCLEANDTHESTRONGBOUNDARY HYPOTHESIS 7HATISAPLAYERDOINGWHENTHEYARECHEATINGINAGAME#ONSALVO STATESTHAT@MANYPLAYERShCHEATvINGAMESWHENTHEYGETSTUCK "UTWHEREAM)INRELATIONTOTHEMAGICCIRCLEWHEN)BEGINTOFEELINCREAS INGLYFRUSTRATEDOVERBEINGSTUCKINAGAME!NDWHATEXACTLYAM)DOING WHEN)SEARCHONTHEINTERNETFORHOWTODEFEATTHESEEMINGLYUNASSAIL ABLEBOSSANDAFTERHAVINGFOUNDTHEANSWERTURNBACKTOTHEGAME!M )CONNECTINGTHEINSIDEOFTHECIRCLETOTHEOUTSIDE3HORTCIRCUITINGTHE CIRCLE(OWMUCHMAGICISTHERELEFTINTHISSPECIFICCIRCLE/RISTHEMAGIC GRADUALLYSLIPPINGAWAYASMYLEVELOFFRUSTRATIONINCREASES7HATARETHE USEANDEXPLANATORYVALUEOFMAGICCIRCLESIFTHEYCANNOTEXPLAINPERFECTLY ORDINARYGAMINGSITUATIONS/URANSWERASTOWHATISHAPPENINGISTHAT O@ QF L @ M @ M C I @ J N A R R N M C N X N T A D K H D U D H M L @ F H B * )SWITCHFROMTHECHARACTERFRAME@)CANTKILLTHEBOSSTOTHEPLAYERGAME FRAME@)HAVETOFINDAGAMEWALKTHROUGHTOTHEPERSONORDINARYLIFE FRAME@)HAVETOOPENUPMYWEBBROWSERANDTHENBACKAGAINAFTER HAVINGFOUNDTHEANSWER $ISCUSSIONANDCONCLUSION 4HISARTICLEHASATTEMPTEDTODOANUMBEROFTHINGS4HEFIRSTWASTO DETHRONETHETERM@MAGICCIRCLEALSOREFERREDTOHEREASTHESTRONG BOUNDARYHYPOTHESISBYSHOWINGHOWANOMALIESINDEFININGANDUSING THECONCEPTHAVEPILEDUPINAVARIETYOFSTUDIESOF@PROBLEMATICGAMES 7HENSOMUCHEMPIRICALDIRTHASBEENSWEPTUNDERTHETHEORETICALCARPET THATONETRIPSONITITISTIMETORETHINKTHETHEORETICALFRAMEWORK4HE SECONDWASTOSHOWHOWTHISSTUDYOFACTUALGAMERSFURTHERREFUTEDTHE STRONGBOUNDARYHYPOTHESIS4HESTUDYSHOWEDTHATFORTHEMOSTPART PLAYINGCOMPUTERGAMESISFORTHESEHEAVYGAMERSAROUTINEANDMUNDANE ACTIVITYTHATOFTENCONTAINSLITTLEORNOMAGICATALLREFERREDTOHEREAS THENOBOUNDARYHYPOTHESISMAKINGTHEBOUNDARYBETWEENPLAYAND NONPLAYTENUOUSTOSAYTHELEAST4HETHIRDWASTOPRESENTANALTERNATIVE THEORETICALFRAMEWORKBASEDON&INEWHICHCANACCOUNTFORALL THEEXAMPLESPRESENTEDHEREANDMORE7ETHINKTHATTHISFRAMEWORK REFERREDTOHEREASTHEWEAKBOUNDARYHYPOTHESISHOLDSMUCHPROMISE ANDSHOULDBEEXPLOREDFURTHER)NTHISDISCUSSIONWEWISHTODRAWATTEN TIONTO3UTTON3MITHSRHETORICSOFPLAY 4HEREISATENDENCYINGAMESTUDIESTOLOOKATTHEGAMINGSITUATION INISOLATIONASASINGULAREVENTANDTHATTHISTENDENCYLEADSTOAFOCUS ONTHINGSSUCHASMAGICCIRCLESIMMERSIONANDFLOW4HISFOCUSACTUALLY HASMUCHINCOMMONWITHSOCALLED@EFFECTSRESEARCHWHICHTENDSTO LOOKATTHEACTOFPLAYINGINISOLATIONANDGOESONTOSEARCHFORTHEEFFECTS THATTHISACTHASONTHEPLAYER/FCOURSETHEDIFFERENCEISTHATEFFECTS RESEARCH TENDS TO FOCUS ON NEGATIVE EFFECTSWHEREASRESEARCHONFOR EXAMPLETHEMAGICCIRCLETENDSTOFOCUSONPOSITIVEEFFECTS4HEREIS NOTHINGWRONGWITHTHISFOCUSINITSELFBUTITNEEDSTOBEACCOMPANIEDBY APERSPECTIVETHATRELATESGAMESANDGAMINGTOPROCESSESTHATSPANLONGER PERIODSOFTIMEANDSITUATEGAMESINTHEEVERYDAYLIFEOFTHEGAMERS! 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