ABSTRACT
In both scholarly research and popular discourse, particularly devoted players of video games are frequently figured as “gamers,” a term that includes some, but not all, who play games, and is frequently associated with deviance and antisocial behavior (Haenfler 2009; Schuurman et al. 2008). The assumed ill effects of violent video games have fed these concerns (Delamere and Shaw 2006; Griffiths et al. 2004) even as media effects research has consistently shown that any long-term effects on players are minimal (Ferguson 2015); worries over gaming “addiction” have also sparked public concern and scholarly consideration (Chee and Smith 2005; Chou and Ting 2003; Fisher 1994; Grüsser et al. 2007; Lemmens et al. 2009; Van Rooij et al. 2011). In short, while video games are increasingly seen as a valid and vibrant cultural form, the medium and its devotees are frequently framed as deviants and addicts.
