The computer games industry has rapidly matured. Once a preoccupation only of young technophiles, games are now one of the dominant forms of global popular culture. From consoles such as Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Xbox to platforms such as iPhones and online gaming worlds, the realm of games and their scope has become all-pervasive. The study of games is no longer a niche interest but rather an integral part of cultural and media studies. The analysis of games reveals much about contemporary social relations, online communities and media engagement. Presenting a range of approaches and analytical tools through which to explore the role of games in everyday life, and packed with case material, Games and Gaming provides a comprehensive overview of this new media and how it permeates global culture in the twenty-first century. 02Games and Gaming provides a comprehensive overview of this media and how it permeates global culture in the twenty-first century.041. Introduction2. The Histories of Gaming3. Games as New Media4. Web 2.0, Social Media, and Online Games5. The Politics of the Personal: Avatar Representation, Identity and Identification and Beyond6. Glaze Cultures: Urban and Location-aware Gaming7. Gaming in the Asia-Pacific: Two Futures for Gaming - Online Gaming versus Electronic Individualism8. Conclusion: Gaming in the Twenty-first Century Annotated Guide to Further ReadingQuestions and ExercisesNotesBibliographyIndex arissa Hjorth is Australian Research Council APD fellow and Senior Lecturer in Games and Digital Media in the School of Communications and Media at RMIT University, Melbourne. Very broad coverage of all aspects of video and online gaming, including the use of key game consoles Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Xbox and games for mobile use and iPhone Packed with case material from Europe, Asia and North America Also analyses social networking sites and user created content Student resources include questions and exercises and annotated guide for further reading Also available in hardback, 9781847884923 (January 2011) £50.00