Short description:

This Handbook provides a comprehensive guide to the latest research on role-playing games (RPGs) across disciplines, cultures, and media in one single, accessible volume.

Long description:

This Handbook provides a comprehensive guide to the latest research on role-playing games (RPGs) across disciplines, cultures, and media in one single, accessible volume.

Collaboratively authored by more than 40 key scholars, it traces the history of RPGs, from wargaming precursors to tabletop RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons to the rise of live-action role-play and contemporary computer RPG and massively multiplayer online RPG franchises, like Baldur?s Gate, Genshin Impact, and World of Warcraft. Individual chapters survey the perspectives, concepts, and findings on RPGs from key disciplines, like performance studies, sociology, psychology, education, economics, game design, literary studies, and more. Other chapters integrate insights from RPG studies around broadly significant topics, like worldbuilding, immersion, and player-character relations, as well as explore actual play and streaming, diversity, equity, inclusion, jubensha, therapeutic uses of RPGs, and storygames, journaling games, and other forms of text-based RPGs. Each chapter includes definitions of key terms and recommended readings to help students and scholars new to RPG studies find their way into this interdisciplinary field.

A comprehensive reference volume ideal for students and scholars of game studies and immersive experiences and those looking to learn more about the ever-growing, interdisciplinary field of RPG studies.

Table of Contents:

1. The Many Faces of Role-Playing Game Studies José P. Zagal and Sebastian Deterding  SECTION I: DEFINITIONS  2. Definitions of ?Role-Playing Games? José P. Zagal and Sebastian Deterding  SECTION II: FORMS  3. Precursors Jon Peterson  4. Tabletop Role-Playing Games William J. White, Jonne Arjoranta, Michael Hitchens, Jon Peterson, Evan Torner, and Jonathan Walton  5. Live-Action Role-Playing Games J. Tuomas Harviainen, Rafael Bienia, Sarah Lynne Bowman, Simon Brind, Michael Hitchens, Yaraslau I. Kot, Esther MacCallum-Stewart, David W. Simkins, Jaakko Stenros, Ian Sturrock, and Xiong Shuo  6. Single-Player Computer Role-Playing Games Douglas Schules, Jon Peterson, and Martin Picard  7. Multi-Player Online Role-Playing Games Mark Chen, Jon Peterson, and David W. Simkins  8. Text-Based Role-Playing Games Jessica Hammer and Paul Czege  SECTION III: DISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES  9. RPG Theorizing by Designers and Players Evan Torner  10. Game Design and Role-Playing Games Staffan Björk and José P. Zagal  11. Theatre and Performance Studies and Role-Playing Games Sarah Hoover, David W. Simkins, Sebastian Deterding, David Meldman and Amanda Brown  12. Sociology and Role-Playing Games J. Patrick Williams, David Kirschner, Nicholas Mizer, and Sebastian Deterding  13. Psychology and Role-Playing Games Sarah Lynne Bowman and Andreas Lieberoth  14. Literary Studies and Role-Playing Games David Jara and Evan Torner  15. Learning and Role-Playing Games Jessica Hammer, Alexandra To, Karen Schrier, Sarah Lynne Bowman, and Geoff Kaufman  16. Economics and Role-Playing Games Isaac Knowles and Edward Castronova SECTION IV: INTERDISCIPLINARY ISSUES  17. The Impact of Role-Playing Games on Culture Esther MacCallum-Stewart, Jaakko Stenros, Staffan Björk, and William J. White  18. Documented and Actual Play in Role-Playing Games Shelly Jones  19. Worldbuilding in Role-Playing Games Karen Schrier, Evan Torner, and Jessica Hammer  20. Role-Playing Games as Subculture and Fandom Esther MacCallum-Stewart and Aaron Trammell  21. Immersion and Shared Imagination in Role-Playing Games Sarah Lynne Bowman  22. Players and Their Characters in Role-Playing Games Sarah Lynne Bowman and Karen Schrier  23. Transgressive Role-Play Jaakko Stenros and Sarah Lynne Bowman  24. Sexuality and the Erotic in Role-Play Ashley ML Guajardo and Jaakko Stenros  25. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Role-Playing Games Adrianna Burton, Aaron Trammell, and Katherine Castiello-Jones  26. Power and Control in Role-Playing Games Jessica Hammer, Whitney Beltrán, Jonathan Walton, and Moyra Turkington