Deepening Gameplay Experiences through Estrangement

Abstract

Gameplay is customarily conceived of, in its ideal form, as uninterrupted. Flow, immersion, engagement, even addiction, all imply a continuous engaging with the game. Yet play can also be reflective and it is prone to interruptions. In this article we approach gameplay from an oppositional point of view, by looking it as estrangement, distance, reflection, and queering. The article will address the poetics of estrangement both in theory and in practice.