Relationships between play and games.

‘Play’ and ‘Game’ are often mistaken to work as synonyms for each other,however, it is arguable that there is more to it. In fact, the core meaning ofgame in contrast to play is rooted in its interaction. There is no game withouta player. A game exists through its rules. It depends on the game, where somemight rest on the player’s experience and some exist according to the rulesthemselves, and we are given no choice but to abide by them, at least when itcomes to digital games. As stated by Ermi and Mayra (2005), regardless of themedium of the game, digital or physical, it boils down to the gaming experiencemade through the player’s “sensations, thoughts, feelings, actions, andmeaning-making” (p. 2). On the other hand, Caillois (2001) suggests that playoccupies a precise time and space where there is a clear line between realityand make-believe which is isolated from the rest of life. What was onceconsidered a childish thing to do, play in our era is now considered aperformance that can be monetized, especially when it comes to digital fps(first-person shooter) games. Hence, the interconnection linking play and gamesdepicts a synergy between a player’s attention and the gaming experience whichis the primary factor to create engagement. Tencent Games’ PUBG Mobilepersonifies Play by amalgamating ludology and narratology to create animmersive battle royale first-person shooter game that is embraced by so many.Passing with flying colors, thanks to the ludology, Tencent Games has releaseddifferent versions of the same game to suit multiple cultures. Juul (2010)implies that a digital game is like a magic circle. Henceforth, the latter isdefined by spatial qualities, a suspension of reality when entering the virtualenvironment for a new set of rules (Huizinga, 1955), a world to escape thatoffers numerous ways to be engaged that only constraint is the traversable spaceset by computer algorithms.

To understand more about the connection between play and games, we haveto dive into their core meaning respectively and what it symbolizes especiallyfor the player. Moreover, for some players, it is a way to escape. Now, what isthe meaning of escapism when it comes to the gaming experience? Gadamer (2006,as cited by Larsen, 2015) suggests that play is like an event/adventure thatincites a player to discover different spaces than their routine which leads toescapism. To stretch more about this topic, it is also understood (Gadamer, 2006 as cited by Larsen, 2015)that the foundation of play is constructed through the act of playing itself.It can be argued that the level of escapism also depends on the imagination ofthe player. Escapism also depends on the level of interaction we have with thegame. A game offers a variety of ways to be engaged. When it comes to PUBGMobile, there are a variety of game modes that are suitable especially fora battle royale first-person shooter, which includes competition,collaboration, and communication. Those are the major three properties of thegame to promote a fairly immersive gaming experience. In fact, games settingscan also be tweaked to accommodate the player’s needs to make it more enjoyableand hypnotic. Immersion can also be found in movies, though not as much as itlacks this sense of interaction to it. A lot of movies use a third-personperspective which compared to first-person gameplay is less immersive. However,with technological advancements, we can now interact with movies, for instance,a series called Black Mirror found on Netflix where the viewer decides on thepath an episode is heading to. Immersion can also happen without play.Recently, Facebook created a platform called Metaverse where people can cometogether into a virtual world with virtual reality medium. Moreover, because ofthe current pandemic, any precautions are welcome thus Justin Bieber, a popsinger decided to host a concert on this platform where people are not playersanymore but an audience. A feature like that might make its way into the futureof PUBG Mobile someday.

“Game designers don't simply tell stories; they designworlds and sculpt space” (Jenkins, 2004, p.121). The quotation by the latterconveys that game designers are not solely responsible for storytelling but arethe creators of an entire game universe, including the game's environment. Gamedesign is distinct from traditional storytelling in that it employs a range ofvisual, auditory, and interactive features to produce immersive playerexperiences. Sculpting space refers to the process of designing the game world,which includes the geography, layout, and atmosphere. Game designers have thepower to manipulate these elements to provide players with a one-of-a-kind experience,using various tools and techniques. In summary, the quotation highlights thecrucial role that game design plays in developing engaging and elaborate gamingexperiences. Moreover, what it implies to the players is that the multiplespaces created by the game designer act like “homes” for some of them wherethey can fit in a specific genre and can relate to themselves, a small personalspace that can be viewed by many like an insignificant plot of graphical area.One great example of that can be found in PUBG Mobile where a squad canhave something in their name that relates to them, a unifying factor, havingthe same outfit, and a personal highly customized lobby with differentbackgrounds, and vehicle skins.

According to McLuhan (n.d., as cited byEgenfeld-Nielsen et al., 2008), games are considered in the media industry as“popular” and “collective”, induced by cultural traits that may reflectreal-life attributes. According to McLuhan (pg. 167), avatars are socialobjects, not neutral. In fact, a player can experience a sense of déjà vu whenplaying a game in particular. When it comes to Tencent Games, they have actually created differentversions of the game for different countries with social and culturalattributes relating to their respective country. The global version of the gameoffers the player to choose which server they want to play from to meet peoplethat corresponds the best with their interests. Furthermore, the designer ofthe game is the one who decides what avatar is given what qualities in thisvirtual world. In PUBG Mobile, we have special characters that can be bought through an in-apppurchase that have unique abilities respectively. One of the avatars is namedVictor, he is pictured as a young athletic man which has the ability to runfaster than a “female” character in the same game. Those can be considered asstereotypes but may help a player find their comfort zone, thus creatingengagement. If you decide to choose a character from the opposite gender itmight also be for a reason. The game allows its players to express themselvesin their own ways.

Juul (n.d., as cited Egenfeldt-Nielsen, et al., 2008)stated that the gaming world is guided by constraints (p.34). McGonigal (2011as cited by Larsen, 2015) further emphasizes this idea by saying that games arecreated with structural limitations to limit certain actions and create rules.The designer creates a set of limitations in the game to guide the player toachieve their goal regardless of their level of skills. In fact, the latterwill get better over time and will passively learn the rules of the game asthey play. In PUBG Mobile, for example, the players are dropped at theirdesired location by an airplane to find for resources like weapons to fight thevarious enemies. Moreover, as the game progresses, there is a safe zone whichis white where the players should stay inside to combat others and avoid a bluezone that will kill them faster and faster as it takes the whole area. This isdone to create a rule that each player has to follow in order so that the gameends in a limited timeframe. Furthermore, McGonigal also argued that feedbackis also a core aspect of game where it displays detailed information about aplayer to others so that they can evaluate if ones are trustworthy. In PUBGMobile, for example, there is a system called “merit” which is on a scaleof 1-100%, which you guessed it 100% is the only good score and other playerswill be able to see it! If any of the players were to commit somethingunauthorized like killing their own teammates, there will be sanctions againstthem like a deduction of their merits, and a temporarily banned that can lastup to 10 years.

In conclusion, the relationship between play and gamesis complex and revolves around meaning-construction, escapism, and immersion,all centered on the player's experience. While play offers subjective and exploratoryadventures, games are defined by rules and require player interaction. Bycomplementing games' symbolic rules, play creates a contained and immersiveexperience that players can further enhance through their own subjectiveplaying. Play and games are inherent to each other, feeding and giving meaningto each other throughout gameplay. The immersive nature of games, such as PUBGMobile, is the result of a combination of ludology and narratology, alongwith customizable settings and avatars that reflect cultural and social traits.Game designers can choose avatars and mechanics that either reflect stereotypesor offer engagement opportunities for players, and constraints inherent togaming can drive creativity and innovation. The relationship between play andgames continues to evolve as technology and culture change, making it afascinating and ever-changing topic.

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