Discourse Analysis of Game Mechanics: A Methodological Proposition

Abstract

This extended abstract proposes the method of Discourse Analysis of Game Mechanics to identify discourses embedded in digital game mechanics. In this approach, mechanics are understood as defining players' ideal actions, while discourse is framed as a communicative event that links language and action. Examining game mechanics methodologically highlights that they are designed, developed, and implemented within specific contexts and for particular purposes. The method is analytical, descriptive, and qualitative, with a focus on the semantics of action through the mechanics-action-verb triad. The procedure is organized into three stages: pre-analysis, analysis, and results.