Aiōn and Digital Play: Toward a Cosmo-Phenomenological Approach

Abstract

This paper proposes a phenomenological and cosmological framework for understanding digital play through the metaphor of Aiōn, drawn from Heraclitus and revisited by Fink. By connecting phenomenology and contemporary game studies, we argue that gameplay constitutes a mode of being-in-the-world structured by rhythmic attunement, sensory engagement, imagination, and a non-linear lived temporality. The contribution lies in articulating Aiōn as a conceptual operator that clarifies how players inhabit, perceive, and co-create game worlds. This approach expands existing theoretical models and provides a foundation for future research into the distinct temporal experience of play.