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Studying Pixels

Game Studies and Video Game Culture


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  • 83. Studying Pixels is taking a hiatus

    10:12||Ep. 83
    We have been podcasting diligently every week for approximately two years. Now, we decided to take a hiatus to recover a bit and organize some things in our private and professional lives. We look forward to returning, because we have got so many more episodes already planned. It's going to be fun!If you are a Studying Pixels Plus subscriber, you do not have to do anything. We will pause our Patreon campaign while we are on hiatus, so you will not be billed.If you wish to stay in the loop, please stay subscribed or join our Discord, which will also be alive and running the entire time.You are the best and we are looking forward to resume our journey!

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  • 82. Close Playing (with Theresa Tanenbaum)

    43:29||Ep. 82
    How do we go about analyzing video games? Well, close playing is one of the most prominent methods to do so. Together with Prof. Dr. Theresa Jean Tanenbaum, we discuss what close playing means and how to pragmatically go about it.ShownotesWell read: Applying close reading techniques to gameplay experiences (Jim Bizzocchi and Theresa Tanenbaum)Hermeneutic Inquiry for Digital Games Research (Theresa Tanenbaum)https://transformativeplay.ics.uci.edu/Visit studyingpixels.com
  • Replay: Do JRPGs Need to Be Made in Japan?

    52:17|
    This is a replay episode, originally aired on August 14, 2022.Technically, JRPG simply stands for Japanese Role-Playing Game. Yet, it seems like the genre ascription has taken on a life of its own. Is every RPG made in Japan automatically a JRPG? And what differentiates them from Western RPGs? Here’s our take on the matter!ShownotesJapanische Rollenspiele: Was macht ein Spiel zum JRPG? – Podcast E054 (Behind the Screens)
  • 81. Final Fantasy I-III

    53:17||Ep. 81
    The Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster was recently released for PS4 and Nintendo Switch, and you know Dan has some thoughts about it. It’s another solo episode, this time with Dan and his theories about the Final Fantasy series, it’s origins, and how it came to be what it is today. Visit studyingpixels.com
  • 80. Origins of publisher names (Square Enix, Sony, and others)

    18:16||Ep. 80
    We are all familiar with names such as Sony, Nintendo, Ubisoft, or Konami. But how did these names come about? In this short episode, we explore the background behind some of the most influential company names.ShownotesThe Stories Behind the Names of 15 Gaming Brands You Know (Kelvon Yeezy)The History and Meaning of the Ubisoft Logo (FreeLogoDesign)What's In A Name (1Up.com)Sony Company History (Sony)Interview: Former Microsoft Exec Fries Talks Xbox's Genesis (Leigh Alexander)Visit studyingpixels.com
  • 79. The Story of E3

    01:19:42||Ep. 79
    E3 was the event that kept the entire video game industry in suspense for a whole week. It brought for bouts of joy and sighs of disappointment. Now, that E3 might be no more, we reflect upon its history.ShownotesE3 (Wikipedia)A Tale of Two E3s - Xbox vs Sony vs Sega (Christopher Dring)Geoff Keighley will not participate in E3 2020 (Christopher Dring)E3 Has Been Canceled (Rebekah Valentine)Visit studyingpixels.com
  • 78. Back to the Mainstream

    57:43||Ep. 78
    Trends, they come and go. But some peculiarities of video game culture disappeared for a while only to make a more or less major comeback.Visit studyingpixels.com