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New Books in Game Studies

New Books Network
Video Games
Game Design
Graphic User Interface
Digital Games
Game Studies
Sound Design
Digital Aesthetics
Gaming Culture
Virtual Reality
Film Studies
Parametric Architecture
American Culture
Open World Video Games
Desktop Cinema
2D Platformers
Quantum Physics
Neoliberal Capitalism
Cultural Representation
Asian American Studies
Interdisciplinary Approaches In Game Studies

This podcast is a channel on the New Books Network. The New Books Network is an academic audio library dedicated to public education. In each episode you will hear scholars discuss their recently published research with another expert in their field. Discover our 150+ channels and browse our 28,000+ episodes on our website: ⁠newbooksnetwork.com⁠ Subscribe to our free weekly Substack newsletter to ... more

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes153Founded2 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Video GamesLeisureGames

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Artwork for New Books in Game Studies

Latest Episodes

Bounce: Balls, Walls, and Bodies in Games and Play (MIT Press, 2026) follows an array of bouncing balls through the histories of nonelectronic and electronic games, across the spectrum of play, game, and sport, and into the domains of physics, materi... more

Despite its time travel mechanics, high stakes, and pulpy murder plot, Don’t Nod Entertainment’s 2015 adventure game Life is Strange stood out from most video games with its unapologetic emphasis on queer romance and friendships.

Yet for all the ga... more

A deep dive into the reflective modes of playfulness in video games. Slowness and reflectiveness have always been part of the video game medium, though they have been used very differently throughout its history. In Zen and Slow Games (MIT Press, 20... more

The play element at the heart of our interactions with computers—and how it drives the best and the worst manifestations of the information age.

Whether we interact with video games or spreadsheets or social media, playing with software shapes every... more

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Recent Guests

Carlin Wing
Author of Bounce! Balls, Walls, and Bodies in Games and Play
MIT Press
Episode: Carlin Wing, "Bounce: Balls, Walls, and Bodies in Games and Play" (MIT Press, 2026)
Kaitlin Tremblay
Author and narrative designer; narrative director at Soft Rains; author of Life is Strange
Boss Fight Books
Episode: Kaitlin Tremblay, "Life is Strange" (Boss Fight Books, 2026)
Victor Navarro-Remesal
Author of Zen and Slow Games
MIT Press (author)
Episode: Victor Navarro-Remesal, "Zen and Slow Games" (MIT Press, 2026)
Miguel Sicart
Author of Playing Software, Homo Ludens in Computational Culture (MIT Press, 2023)
IT University of Copenhagen
Episode: Miguel Sicart, "Playing Software: Homo Ludens in Computational Culture" (MIT Press, 2023)
Charlotte Reber
Author and scholar focusing on game studies
Boss Fight Books
Episode: Charlotte Reber, "Dragon Age II" (Boss Fight Books, 2026)
Professor Raiford Guins
Professor and chair of Cinema Media Studies at Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington
Episode: Raiford Guins, "King PONG: How Atari Bounced Across Markets to Make Millions" (MIT Press, 2026)
Federico Alvarez Igarzábal
Co-editor of the volume, Professor Doctor at the Applied Sciences University of Cologne
Applied Sciences University of Cologne
Episode: Federico Alvarez Igarzábal and Emmanuel Guardiola, "Video Games and Mental Health: Perspectives of Psychology and Game Design" (Transcript Publishing, 2024)
Emmanuel Guardiola
Co-editor of the volume, involved in game design and psychological research
Independent Contributor
Episode: Federico Alvarez Igarzábal and Emmanuel Guardiola, "Video Games and Mental Health: Perspectives of Psychology and Game Design" (Transcript Publishing, 2024)
Jessica Doyle
Writer based out of Atlanta, Georgia, with a Ph.D. in city planning.
Episode: Jessica Doyle and Jordan Ferguson, "Dance Dance Revolution" (Boss Fight Books, 2025)

Host

Rudolf Inderst
Host with a long-running involvement in game studies, affiliated with a German university.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 14 ratings
  • The ads

    Please, just get rid of the ads. They are at times so jarring that it really does takes away from the fascinating discussions.

    Apple Podcasts
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    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The discussions frequently connect theoretical work to broader cultural contexts.
Listeners appreciate the depth and rigor, though some find sponsor reads disruptive.
Guests are often leading voices in game studies and publishing.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#80
United Kingdom/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#164
Italy/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#108
South Korea/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#122
Hong Kong/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#185
Russia/Leisure/Games
Apple Podcasts
#195
India/Leisure/Games

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Victor Navarro-Remesal, "Zen and Slow Games" (MIT Press, 2026)
Q: What questions about slowness and reflectiveness do you think are still open for future research?
There is a need to widen what counts as a game, including artifacts like Nintendogs and other early 'non-games,' and to push for more detailed case studies of specific titles to understand how slowness manifests in different genres. There's also room to explore how reflectiveness interacts with different cultural contexts and how designers can systematically implement these ideas without sacrificing engagement.
Victor Navarro-Remesal, "Zen and Slow Games" (MIT Press, 2026)
Q: How do slow or reflective games enable faster action-oriented games to be experienced differently?
Slow or reflective games change the context in which faster games operate by foregrounding dead time, strategic pacing, and mindful exploration. This reframing helps players appreciate moments of deliberate restraint, tension, and contemplation that can enrich other genres, showing that speed isn't the sole route to engaging gameplay and that slower moments can heighten meaning and decision-making under pressure.
Victor Navarro-Remesal, "Zen and Slow Games" (MIT Press, 2026)
Q: Could you explain what you mean by reflective games and why you felt the need to propose this term as an umbrella concept?
Reflective games are not just about being slow or relaxing; they unite a set of design goals—attention, time as a technique, and moments of meditation—that together create a mode of play where players think, plan, and reflect through gameplay. The umbrella term helps capture the common core across Zen modes, slow gaming, and earlier text-based experiences, while allowing for evolution and expansion of the concept as the field grows.
Kaitlin Tremblay, "Life is Strange" (Boss Fight Books, 2026)
Q: You describe Max Caulfield as the sum of all the possible choices she could make. How does this idea reshape our understanding of player agency in a narrative-driven game where choice is so deeply tied to identity?
Tremblay argues that player choices express but do not redefine a character's core with every playthrough; instead, gameplay reveals a spectrum of self-expression within a defined perspective, where rewind enables exploring different facets of a character's psyche without erasing her established traits.
Kaitlin Tremblay, "Life is Strange" (Boss Fight Books, 2026)
Q: To start us off, could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us about your background as a writer and narrative designer? What drew you to Life is Strange as a project worthy of such a close and personal reading?
Kaitlin Tremblay describes herself as a writer and narrative designer with experience in games since 2011, currently serving as the narrative director at Soft Rains, and notes Life is Strange attracted her for its emotional depth, queer themes, and the way it challenges traditional teen narratives.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About New Books in Game Studies

What is New Books in Game Studies about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Scholarly conversations centered on game studies, authorship, and the cultural history of gaming. Episodes routinely pair researchers, editors, and authors with expert guests to unpack books and ideas—from close readings of narrative-driven titles and the ethics of player agency to the social histories of arcade culture and the politics of game design. Expect rigorous, theory-rich discussions that connect games to broader media ecologies, education, and cultural critique, often framed around newly published books from MIT Press, Boss Fight Books, and university presses. Noteworthy is the consistent emphasis on methodological approaches (close reading, critical pedagogy, interdisciplinary perspectives) and the way guests illuminate how games... more

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1. Game Studies Study Buddies
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New Books in Game Studies launched 2 years ago and published 153 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on New Books in Game Studies?

Recent guests on New Books in Game Studies include:

1. Carlin Wing
2. Kaitlin Tremblay
3. Victor Navarro-Remesal
4. Miguel Sicart
5. Charlotte Reber
6. Professor Raiford Guins
7. Federico Alvarez Igarzábal
8. Emmanuel Guardiola

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