Playing games is a basic human activity, and games raise a great number of fascinating philosophical questions. What, exactly, are we doing when we play a game? What is the value of games for human life? What is the ontology of a game? And could games be, or someday become, a form of art? Comprising twenty-seven chapters by an international team of contributors, The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Games is an outstanding reference source to the core concepts, problems and debates in this exciting subject, and is the first collection of its kind. Beginning with an Introduction by the editors, the Handbook is divided into five clear parts: Introduction and historical foundations Game ontology Play and players Aesthetics of games Ethics and values of games Within these sections key topics are examined, including sport and games; rules in games; cheating in games; simulation; narrative in games; space in videogames; the nature of play; the body and play; avatars; the aesthetics of gameplay; violence; immersion; representation in games; race and gender in games; and many more. The Routledge Handbook of Philosophy of Games is essential reading for students and researchers working in philosophy of games, philosophy of sport, digital aesthetics and game studies.

Table of Contents:
Introduction C. Thi Nguyen and John R. Sageng Part 1: Introduction and Historical Foundations 1. What’s in a Game? Huizinga, Caillois and Conventional Behavior in Games Chad Carlson 2. Suits on Games and Their Value C. Thi Nguyen 3. Sport and Games - William Morgan 4. What is a Computer Game? Veli-Matti Karhulahti and John R. Sageng Part 2: Game Ontology 5. Games as Rules Richard Royce 6. Cheating While Playing (and Cheating at Playing) A.J. Kreider 7. Existential ludology: Computer Games as Worlds Sebastian Möring and Olli Leino 8. Space in Computer Games Stephan Günzel 9. Simulations and Games Andreas Gregersen 10. Fiction and Narrative in Videogames Grant Tavinor Part 3: Play and Players 11. Magic Circles and the Separateness of Play Jaakko Stenros 12. The Variable Nature of Play Annika Waern 13. The Body and Varieties of Play R. Scott Kretchmar 14. Avatarhood Rune Klevjer Part 4: Aesthetics of Games 15. On Ludic Beauty: Kant, Schiller and the Aesthetics of Gameplay Daniel Vella 16. Game Immersion: The Experience of Virtual Environment Habitation Gordon Calleja 17. Analysing Interactivity and the Performative Actions of Games Shelby Moser 18. Hermeneutics of Play Jonne Arjoranta 19. Representation in Games Ida Jørgensen and Pawel Grabarzcyk 20. Aesthetics of Sport Andrew Edgar Part 5: Ethics and Values of Games 21. Critical Theory and the Computer Game Graeme Kirkpatrick 22. Race and Gender in Games Stephanie Patridge 23. Representations of Violence in Games Christopher Bartel 24. Critical Overview of Technological Enhancement in sport Emily Ryall 25. Games, Rule Violations, and Fair Play Sigmund Loland 26. Playing a Good Life Miguel Sicart 27. Bernard Suits on the Value of Autotelic Gameplay Christopher C. Yorke. Index