Goffman and Videogames: A Sociological Approach from the Dramaturgical Perspective to Entertainment and Leisure Devices

Abstract

In this article, we propose an exhaustive approach to the problems of the game from the concerns and tools proposed by Erving Goffman. Through a genealogy that traces the connections of the Canadian sociologist with the game, we understand interactions and social life as a performative space where roles are interpreted and simultaneously operate four metaphors described by the author (theatrical, rite, frame and game). Thereby, we propose an inspiring methodology of study that allows us to grasp the game culture while we delve into the underlying elements of the playful interaction. At the same time, we demand Goffmanian knowledge as useful tools, not only in the context of the game communities, but also in wider spaces and contexts of sociological concer.