SOSYOLOJİK BİR ARAŞTIRMA NESNESİ OLARAK DİJİTAL OYUNLAR

Abstract

Digital games have become a rapidly growing and developing industry and domain, especially in the last 20 years. Many people worldwide are experiencing various games, simple or complex, buying and being influenced by them and contributing to the development of the industry. Inevitably, the effects of the ever-growing and developing digital gaming sector on public life will also become apparent. Although various studies have been conducted on the social aspects of digital games in sociology, interest in this area is still insufficient in Turkey. This study is the product of an attempt to overcome that indifference in Turkey. Efforts were undertaken to make a contribution for researchers who are interested in this field and want to explore its potential. In most cases, examining digital games with a one-sided and condescending attitude results in an incomplete understanding of their sociological aspects. However, digital games are positioned as an important research object for sociology in this study, and what digital games can reveal about society and social relations is thoroughly discussed. The theoretical and methodological basis of studies on digital games are presented and subjects that have been studied or ignored are analyzed. This is a qualitative study based on the relevant literature, in which English resources are predominant. The study results suggest that sociological theory and methodology have contributed significantly to the understanding of digital games, but at the same time, many areas of study that could contribute sociologically have been ignored.