Time in Digital Games: A Comparative Map of Temporal Constructs

Abstract

Work on time in digital games has expanded across disciplines, and this diversity now offers opportunities for direct comparison and synthesis. This paper presents a comparative map of twenty-two temporal constructs published between 2003 and 2025 to illustrate this opportunity. We use the term temporal construct to identify named, reusable conceptual tools - typologies, frameworks, categories, etc. - that researchers use to theorise how time is structured in and around digital play. Each construct is positioned along two axes, derived from patterns in the analysed literature: temporal control (from player-controlled to system-controlled) and temporal scale (from moment play to lifestyle play). This visualisation identifies where constructs cluster, where gaps remain, and how constructs can be read alongside one another without flattening disciplinary differences. A companion web prototype provides author-level plots alongside the composite map, supporting closer inspection and laying groundwork for an evolving resource.