‘Gamer’ culture, based on the dominant ethical paradigm, naturalises and perpetuates a mindset based on individualistic enjoyment, mastery, and dominance, rather than acknowledging the systemic negotiational and obligational experiences games provide. Students will explore alternative sets of ethical values that can be applied to and in games, and develop a more complex understanding of games as designed systems constituted by freedom and constraints. This leaves student players better equipped for meaningful and critical experiences of personal responsibility, social interconnection, and mutual, collective obligation. They will understand possible alternatives to the dominant ethical model and how they apply to or can be negotiated in digital and analogue games. They will be familiar with key authors in the field of (virtual) ethics, their central theoretical concepts and arguments and able to apply this knowledge to academically situate and critically discuss digital and analogue games from an ethical perspective.

Reading and discussion of theoretical texts in class.Presentation and discussion of relevant example games in class.Written exam.

Ethical theories; game studies; configuration, agency, play experiences.

A fundamental knowledge of and competences in Game Studies developed in the Game Studies lecture are expected and exceedingly helpful to students for this course.

All required literature will be provided.Students are expected to own and have played a copy of the example game they present on.

The final grade is an aggregate of...20% Active participation in class: Come prepared, read the required theoretical texts, do any additional research if necessary; think critically, and contribute to discussions and analyses.40% Game Analysis and Discussion (45min, 1500 words): Introduce a game and analyse how its design implements ethical elements (20min), do a Q&A and moderate a plenary, in-depth discussion of one example game sequence (25min); write-up of analysis and any issues brought up during the Q&A in a short academic paper to be uploaded on Moodle no later than two weeks after the session (pdf, 1500 words).40% Written Open-Book Exam: Select 10 out of 12 questions asked and reply in a short paragraph each (max. 100 words). A question scores from 0 to 5 points (think of the star rating system), depending on the quantity and quality of information given, and the point total achieved results in your exam grade:46 – 50 points = 1A, or First Grade41 – 45 points = 2B, or Upper Second Grade31 – 40 points = 3C, or Lower Second Grade26 – 30 points = 4D, or Pass Grade00 – 25 points = 5F, or Fail GradeIf a student fails one pillar of assessment (participation, presentation, or exam), they fail the entire course!

Ethical theories. Key authors and specificities of ethical issues in ludic frameworks. Ethics in game design and criticism. Example games analysed and discussed in class.

Quantity and quality of task fulfillment; quantity and quality of theoretical literature used; quality of analysis, and quality of application of theoretical concepts and terminology.The use of AI support or AI-generated text/content is prohibited in all of my courses!In order to check whether this ban is respected, there is the possibility of a compulsory, individual, oral or written follow-up defence of any submitted or presented work. Should the use of AI be detected in any assignment and a follow-up defence not be sufficient, the task concerned will automatically receive a fail-grade and your violation will be reported to university leadership, just as is the case with any other form of academic dishonesty or cheating.