On The Foundations of Digital Games

Abstract

Computers have lead to a revolution in the games we play, and,following this, an interest for computer-based games has beensparked in research communities. However, this easily leads to theperception of a one-way direction of influence between that thefield of game research and computer science. This historicalinvestigation points towards a deep and intertwined relationshipbetween research on games and the development of computers,giving a richer picture of both fields. While doing so, an overviewof early game research is presented and an argument made that thedistinction between digital games and non-digital games may becounter-productive to game research as a whole.