Reflections on user-centered and technology-centered issues in a digital game design process: An approach to bridge the digital divide

Abstract

Researchers and game publishers consistently argue digital divide between urban and rural digital gamers in India is due to the lack of affordable and accessible technologies. In this paper, we put forward two perspectives of bridging digital divide in terms of gaming experiences namely technology and cultural perspectives. We are highlighting the potential of several existing technologies in enhancing the gaming experiences of rural and semi-urban populations of India. In addition, we also emphasize on the importance of cultural differences in designing the delivery content for the digital games. We argue that the widely discussed digital divide can be mitigated by considering both technological aspects and cross-cultural aspects of the target users.