top of page
GameGeneration, a Korean game criticism webzine, is a magazine that seeks to be lighter than a journal and heavier than a popular magazine. GameGeneration, which explores the social context of contemporary digital games from a critical perspective, is published bimonthly and has an English-language page for overseas readers.
๋ฐ์ ์
25. 12. 10.
I consider the most important goal of education to be helping solve real-world problems. Then, how does that apply to digital media education? We must first listen carefully to childrenโs actual experiences, try to understand the stories of their world, before hastily deciding on pedagogical implications. From that notion, the platform that we need to pay the most attention in recent days, in the context of digital media and childrenโs lives, is probably <Roblox>.
๊น์ง์
25. 10. 10.
![[Interview] A journey towards the next step of Korean game research, Prof. Tae-jin Yoon, the president of DiGRA-K](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d03518_d7b2758a51c7467cb550da0d64068a8f~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_265,h_140,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Image-empty-state.png)
In March 2024, the South Korean regional chapter of the Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) was established. DiGRA is one of the world's largest international associations for academics and professionals who research digital games and associated phenomena. Its Korean chapter, named โDiGRA-Kโ, is now the latest new regional hub followed by the ones in Europe, Asia, and North and South America. DiGRA-K aims to promote an interdisciplinary approach to game research, strengthen connections with industry and academia, and support the next generation through international collaborations. Notably, DiGRA-K aims to overcome the gap between academic disciplines in Korea when it comes to research games, while seeking to encompass both industry practitioners and academia.
DOAN Nguyen Huyen Anh, NGUYEN Thanh Binh, TRAN Tien Bang, PHAN Quang Anh
25. 8. 10.
Advergames, a form of digital game designed for commercial purposes, have emerged as a significant trend in modern digital marketing strategies (Hera, 2019). This represents a substantial shift from traditional advertising toward interactive methods of reaching target audiences. Roblox, a platform known for fostering user-generated content (UGC) and interactive engagement, is widely regarded as an ideal environment for implementing advergame strategies (Vayner3, n.d.).
KyungHyuk Lee
25. 6. 10.
As a cultural epicentre of East Asia for centuries, China has consistently brought its classical literature to games. From the earliest days of video games, Chinese developers have adapted their classic literature like โInvestiture of the Gods (Fengshen Yanyi)โ and โStrange Tales from a Chinese Studio (Liaozhai Zhiyi)โ into virtual worlds.
Andrei Zanescu
25. 6. 10.
By now, the online backlash against the inclusion of Yasuke as one of two protagonists in the story has become somewhat infamous, if not tired, since outrage first erupted last year. Although the game had teased at the 2022 UbiForward as Codename Red, it wasnโt until the full reveal on May 15, 2024, with the cinematic trailer that the inclusion of Yasuke, as a co-protagonist, became clear.
Jisu Kim
25. 4. 10.
![[Interview] The Story of Digital Game Diversity & Accessibility and Making Books About it โ Kyung-jin Lee, Diversity & Inclusion Director at Smilegate](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d03518_a46e9767a9d54462aa065e8aba26d39d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_265,h_140,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Image-empty-state.jpg)
In August 2024, Smilegate โ one of the best-known South Korean game developers & publishers, published two books aimed at game developers, focusing on game accessibility and diversity. The first book, โ๊ฒ์ย ์ ๊ทผ์ฑ ๊ฐ๋ ๊ณผย ์ฌ๋กย (Concepts and Cases of Game Accessibility)โ, explores the concept and current state of accessibility and diversity in South Korean games and case studies. It also delves deep into design approaches to ensure all players can fully enjoy games without restrictions. Smilegateโs second book, โ์ฝํ ์ธ ย ๋ค์์ฑ ๊ฐ๋ ๊ณผย ์ฌ๋ก(Concepts and Cases of Content Diversity)โ, introduces the idea of "cultural diversity" and examines how it has been implemented in South Korean media and games.
Phan Quang Anh
25. 4. 10.
![[Paper Seminar] The Legacy Goes On: Wuxia and its impact seen in the gaming landscape of Vietnam](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d03518_4b0369afd0174b45ae317d4074535767~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_265,h_140,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Image-empty-state.jpg)
Wuxiaย represents the martial arts and fantasy literary subgenre that dominates East Asian and Southeast Asian cultures (Chen, 2009), especially where Chinese-speaking societies are founded, or the trace of Chinese culture is recorded. The Chinese martial arts and heroics of ancient times take place in wuxiaย stories that have expanded into various media such as literature and movies and television programming. Wuxia under its local names kiแบฟm hiแปpย and truyแปn chฦฐแปngย has established itself as an important cultural phenomenon in Vietnam. Wuxiaย fiction introduced in Vietnam during the early 20th century experienced various historical transitions through print media and online gaming until reaching its current state. The current wuxiaย content in Vietnamese video games will be examined through an investigation of how wuxiaย originated historically from its literary heritage. This article has the life course approach and concepts like nostalgia and cultural proximity recruited to study the influence of early wuxiaย experiences on current gaming choices in Vietnam.
Marc Lajeunesse
25. 4. 10.
If youโre a video game enthusiast born after the year 2000, chances are good that you grew up with relatively easy access to video game media. Though gaming still maintains some of its countercultural reputation, it has simultaneously become a facet of mainstream culture, and the sheer volume of player-produced video game content has done a lot of legwork to keep our favorite games alive in our eyes and ears long after weโve signed off for the night. For even some of the most obscure games, it feels like there is a limitless amount of game content available for players to consume without even needing to play. Video gamingโs cultural spaces now weave in and out of games, online communities, and numerous digital platforms like Steam and Discord.ย
Mแบกnh Toร n Hแป
25. 2. 10.
Since 2020, customers buying a new iPhone no longer have a charger included in the box. According to Apple, this omission was aimed at reducing packaging waste as well as e-waste. The company explained that this move means it has to consume fewer raw materials for each iPhone sold, and it also allows for a smaller retail box, which means 70 percent more units can fit on a single shipping pallet, thereby reducing carbon emissions (Calma, 2020).
Solip Park
24. 10. 10.
While some critics pointed out similarities between Kart Rider and Nintendoโs Mario Kart series, this controversy did not concern its players, especially the young kids already enjoying the gameโmyself included. Kart Rider marked a pivotal moment in Nexonโs history, peaking at 200,000 concurrent players (in a country of 50 million people), dominating the PC-bang market, and reaching 10 million registered accounts in 2005, within just a year of its release. In 2023, after 18 years of service, Kart Rider was replaced by its sequel, Kart Rider: Drift, though the reception to this successor has been mixed and is still unable to surpass the legacy of its predecessor.
Kim Gyuri
24. 8. 10.
โLies of Pโ (Neowiz, 2023) takes place in Krat, a fictional city inspired by the Belle รpoque period in Europe. One of the gameโs NPCs (non-player characters), Eugรฉnie, is portrayed as an outsider from a distant country east of Krat. She claims to come from the so-called โcountry of the morning,โ with a visual character design that resembles East Asian ethnic groups. Perhaps this characterโs story was inspired by the Joseon Dynasty, a kingdom that existed on the Korean peninsula from the 14th to 19th century, which was typified as the โLand of Morning Calmโ in the West around the 18th century based on the loose translation of the countryโs name in Chinese characters (ๆ้ฎฎ).
Aska Mayer
24. 8. 10.
The dark hallway I walk through seems to be deserted. I can only hear my own steps and the eerie soundscape of the cranking metal pipes surrounding me, and can barely see what lays beyond the light of my flashlight. Iโm afraid, as I donโt know if something is waiting in the shadows for me. As I enter the next room, I hear heavy breathing and as the light catches a mutilated body, in between the dead and living, I feel my stomach contract from disgust.
Marc Lajeunesse
24. 8. 10.
In my personal gaming history I have two distinct memories of fear. The first time I was truly scared while playing a game was during the first Resident Evil in what has become a notorious scene from the game. Though at the time Resident Evilย felt more like a slower action game than a horror game, there was one key moment when the player walks down a hallway when suddenly one dog, then another bursts through the windows from the outside causing fright, disorientation, and panic. This is an example of a pretty standard jump scare in games (and other media), and though it did frighten me at that moment, I didnโt carry any greater fear of those dogs and what they represented beyond a slightly heightened anxiety while I walked the halls of Spencer Mansion.
KyungHyuk Lee
24. 4. 10.
In Korean gamer communities, there's this saying about playing games from the Steam library: "Back then, we never paid to play the game. Nowadays, we never play despite paying the game." The phrase sarcastically highlights the contrast between the game market back in the 80s-90s, when no one actually paid a fair price for video games with the abundance of pirated and copied games in Korea, compared to now with digital game distribution channels when people do not play the game despite after purchase.
Solip Park
24. 2. 10.
If we were to choose two of the most talked-about RPG games in 2023, many would agree to pick <Starfield> (Bethesda Game Studios, 2023) and <Baldurโs Gate 3> (Larian Studios, 2023). It appears that gamers generally favor <Baldurโs Gate 3> over <Starfield> due to disappointing elements in its game design, despite it still managing to achieve good sales records thanks to the developersโ publicity. The game seems to have demonstrated the limitations of the so-called Bethesda-style RPG games, whereas <Baldurโs Gate 3> was praised for its rich interactivity and engaging role-playing elements. Some claim that this Belgium-made game has made a new mark in the RPG genre, listing it as one of the most critically acclaimed RPGs of 2023 alongside The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Nintendo, 2023).
Solip Park
23. 12. 10.
Constraints can become stepping stones to innovation. The disproportionate market attention towards integrating blockchain technology into games is perhaps stemming from peopleโs desire to overcome the current constraints. Here, the idea of combining blockchains and games can be examined from two perspectives: First, exploring the intention behind advocating for this change, and second, discussing why such a change is deemed necessary at this time. Combining the findings from these two would allow us to acquire a comprehensive view of this matter and thus enable critical reflections on what the innovation could bring to our future.
Cortney Blamey
23. 10. 10.
Games are inherently social. In the wake of MUDs (Multi-User Dungeons) in the late 1970s to MMORPGs in the early 90s, playing games has been heralded as an opportunity to socialise and be social - antithetical to the usual โlonerโ gamer stereotype that is so pervasive in popular media. More recently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, games offered a pre-existing framework for keeping in touch and hanging out with friends when regions in Canada and the U.S. were facing mandatory lockdowns and curfews to stem the infection rates. Many turned to their headsets and keyboards to play games and catch up with friends when they could not see them face-to-face. However, a caveat to being a social space, is the potential for anti-social behaviours. This is not formed in the lack of socialising, a typical tenant of being anti-social, but rather in the deploying of modes of communication to have a different kind of social โfunโ.
Minha Kim
23. 10. 10.
We once thought that the era of Donald Trump had come to an end, but it appears it hasn't. While Trump may have lost the election, his supporters' enthusiasm remains robust. What fuels this enduring energy? Moreover, is the driving force behind Trump's rise aligned with traditional 'American' values or does it run counter to them? It's worth recalling that Trump's campaign slogan was 'Make America Great Again'. Yet, years later, when President Joe Biden won the election after a vigorous anti-Trump campaign, he declared his presidential message as 'America is back.' So, which vision truly represents 'America' โ Trump's or Biden's?
Dowon Seo
23. 8. 10.
![[Interview] Bringing the sense of presence into esports โ what and how: Yeong-seung Ham, Program Director at Riot Games.](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d03518_d9d5b18aed8647afaca510fa220b6dba~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_265,h_140,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Image-empty-state.jpg)
The feeling of being part of the crowd is a powerful experience. In traditional sports, this empowering moment is known as "hyeonjang-gam," which can be translated as the "feeling of presence." Despite technological advancements and high-speed internet that allow us to watch sports matches remotely from home, many fans still choose to visit the on-site venue to immerse themselves in the passion, sweat, tears, cheers, and chanting that cannot be fully transmitted through a screen. Some become fans of a sports team after experiencing an engaging moment at the stadium, chanting alongside a group of people. Even in esports, numerous fans have missed spectating digital game matches at physical on-site stadiums during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Inoue Akito
22. 4. 10.
ใใใกใใณใณใ้ใใฆ่ถ
่ฝๅใ้็บใใใใจใใใใผใใง้็บใใใใฒใผใ ใใใฃใใ
1980ๅนดไปฃๅฝๆใฎๆฅๆฌใฎ่ถ
่ฝๅใใผใ ใฎใชใใ่ถ
่ฝๅ่
ใจใใฆ็ฅใใใฆใใๆธ
็ฐ็็ซ ๆฐ๏ผ้็งฐใใใจในใใผๆธ
็ฐใ๏ผใ็ฃไฟฎใใใใใคใณใใทใผใซใผใ๏ผFC,1989๏ผใจใใไฝๅใ ใไฝไธญใซ็ปๅ ดใใๆธ
็ฐๆฐใฎๆ็คบใใใชใใใใฎไฝๅใ้ใถใใจใงใๅฎ้ใซ่ถ
่ฝๅใไฝฟใใใใใซใชใโฆโฆใจใใใใจใซใชใฃใฆใใใ
Marc Lajeunesse
22. 4. 10.
Lost Ark and the Impression of Korean Games from the Western Perspective On February 11th, 2022 after three days of early access, Lost Ark officially released in the west to over one million players. Produced by Smilegate, a Korean developer, and distributed in the west by Amazon Game Studios, the release of Lost Ark is an opportunity to consider the impression that Korean games have made among western audiences. Despite several successful Korean games launching in the West over the last 20 years, the idea of a โKorean gameโ hasnโt really taken hold in the public consciousness of western players in the same way Japanese games have dominated the gaming landscape. Through a combination of Lost Arkโs management, the engagement of high-profile content creators, and the role of the Korean Lost Ark community in helping the game succeed among the western playerbase, Lost Ark is in a unique position to configure western player expectations about what a Korean game can be.
Ida Jรธrgensen
22. 2. 10.
How we talk about a medium reveals a lot about who we consider its target audience or user and what purposes we attribute to their engagement with the medium. The public discourse on digital games in both Europe and North America, have for many years been characterized by the idea, that digital games was, roughly speaking, for young, teenage boys, who spend hours upon hours painted by the luminescence of the computer screen and immersed in mindless entertainment. This was of course never true.
jian deng (้ๅ)
21. 8. 10.
This article looks to the 8 bit gaming history in China to illuminate the Chinese gaming industry of today, one that earned 2786.87 billion yuan in 2020 (GPC et al. ) . While becoming the world's largest game market, Chinese gaming industry has also attracted worldwide attention. However, despite our fascination with the great success of the Chinese gaming industry in the 21st century, we should not forget the road ahead. Looking back on the early challenges that China's 8 bit gaming industry ever faced is an essential prerequisite for us to understand the industryโs current success. Therefore, this paper will analyze the Chinese 8 bit game and its history.
Marc Lajeunesse
22. 6. 10.
Writing about The Oregon Trail has become its own genre at this point. So much has been published on MECCโs classic game that all the clever references to dysentery, one of the many afflictions the player characters will experience on their journeys, have already been used. This is a testament to the gameโs legacy and its lasting presence that bridges gaming culture and mainstream American popular culture.
KyungHyuk Lee
22. 12. 10.
The title of Disco Elysium, a highly controversial role-playing game that came out in 2019, does not tell you much about what kind of a game it is or what it's about. In fact, it's not easy to deduce why the word "disco" is included in the title of the game when its story centers around a derelict alcoholic detective investigating a murder in the port city Revachol, a place of mixed industrial prosperity and dilapidation.
Ida Jรธrgensen
22. 12. 10.
The last 15 years have witnessed major changes in the way we design and consume games made possible by better and faster internet connections, and new (mobile) technologies. Where computer games were once bought as physical copies in a retail shop, and then required the player to spend hours in front of the family computer or gaming console of the living room, games can now be played everywhere and at any time. But this has not only changed how we consume games, but also how games are designed and put to market. A range of very different new business models and monetization schemes have emerged such as games-as-service, microtransactions, cloud-gaming, in-game advertising along with collectibles and NFTยดs and so forth.ย ย
jian deng (้ๅ)
23. 2. 10.
ไฝๅฐฑๅจ่ฟโไธๅๆ้ฑ็โ็ๆถไปฃไธไบงไธ็ฏๅข้๏ผๅไธ่ง็ปไผ ็ใ้ป็ฅ่ฏ๏ผๆ็ฉบใ๏ผํ์ ํ๏ผ์์ค๊ณต๏ผๅๆ็ฎ็งฐใ้ป็ฅ่ฏใ๏ผๅดๅจ2020ๅนด8ๆ20ๆฅๅฆ็ตๅฝฑใๅคง่ฏ่ฅฟๆธธใ๏ผ๋ํ์์ ๏ผ้โ่บซๆซ้็ฒๅฃ่กฃใ้ฉพ็ไธๅฝฉ็ฅฅไบโ็็ไธ่ฑ้ไธ่ฌๆจช็ฉบ้ไธ๏ผไธไป ๆ ๅจๆดไธชไธญๅฝๆธธๆไธ๏ผ็่ณ็น็ไบ็คพไผ่่ฎบๅฏนไธญๅฝๆธธๆไธ็ๆๅพ ใไบบไปฌๅจๆฐๆไธปไนๆ ็ปช็ๆฟ่กไธ๏ผๆงๆฌ็ๅคๅ ธๆๅญฆใ่ฅฟๆธธ่ฎฐใไธ็ฐไปฃ็งๆ่ๅนปๅผๆ๏ผUnreal Engine๏ผ็โ้้ โ่ฝ็ฌฌไธๆฌก้ธๅฐฑไผๅคง็ไธญๅฝ3Aๆธธๆใ
Marc Lajeunesse
23. 2. 10.
The AAA space continues to be one where art, industry, and culture coalesce. What games research attunes us to most is that each of these elements, while moving forward, seems to be stuck in stasis where the problems of the past remain unresolved. In the pleasure of the next big release, the anticipation of the next hype cycle, and the excitement of the next awards ceremony, itโs clear that AAA development is no-doubt heading full-bore into a future of even greater artistic heights, but these heights come with even more troubling extremes. Despite interventions on the part of games journalists and academics, and mobilization attempts from game workers, long-standing and pervasive issues with the legitimacy of games, and the exploitation of workers and players alike, persist. Academic work on the AAA space shines a spotlight on the issues that continue to go unresolved while major gaming studios propel forward in the perpetual quest for artistic recognition, prestige, and the almighty dollar.
Eunki Jeon
23. 2. 10.
As such, interfaces may evolve to accurately construct the ideals projected on the design, but that design can easily change based on coincidental chance. The modified interface also brings about transformation to oneโs gameplay itself, and this change in gameplay can change the experience provided by the game, thus bringing about an effect that makes the game itself feel different. Therefore, the interface is not merely a simple input device nor a factor that does not bring any fundamental changes to the game, but rather is the very hardware that constitutes the game and simultaneously the โphysicalizedโ mechanical object connected to the gamer. The interface does not evolve or progress according to the gameโs design; it lies in the process of ever-changing co-evolution while interacting with the game, the gamer, and all environments tied to the self.
Sung Gap Hong
23. 4. 10.
I have a vague memory of a time when I was in upper elementary school, sometime in the early 90's or so, but I canโt recall the exact year. I had gotten a "gaming console". I think I won it in a magazine giveaway. Given the age, I can assume what model it was, but I can only make an assumption. I also do not recall the exact model.ย
ShinHye Kang
23. 6. 10.
I sometimes have had chances to discuss about "game accessibility" ever since I started working for Banjiha Games (Korean word for "Semi-basement") as a writer, while representing people with visual impairment like me. Sure, I do like games. But I'm not good at it. And frankly speaking, my current work also has to do little with the game. So I must admit that I try to talk cautiously whenever such a topic arises
Feng Zhu
23. 6. 10.
The question โare computer games art?โ is not a productive one if there is the expectation that there can be a reasonable answer to it without some questioning of the question itself. I will explain why this is so and make the case that we would be better served by thinking about the โaesthetic experiencesโ that playing computer games may foster as opposed to their categorization as art or as non-art.
SNS์์ ๊ฒ์์ ๋๋ ์ด์ ์ ์๋ก์ด ์์์ ๋ฐ์๋ณด์ธ์.
โ๊ฒ์์ ๋๋ ์ด์ ๋ฉ์ผ ๊ตฌ๋ ํ๊ธฐ
์๋ก์ด ์ ๋ฐ์ดํธ์ ๋ด์ค๋ฅผ ๋ฑ๋กํ์ ๋ฉ์ผ๋ก ๋ณด๋ด๋๋ฆฝ๋๋ค.
bottom of page