ludology

Ludology is a field within game studies that treats video games and other rule-based play systems as the primary object of study. It emphasizes formal properties of games—the rules, mechanics, systems, and emergent gameplay—over narrative or representational aspects. In contrast, narratology analyzes games as storytelling media, focusing on plot, character, and narrative structure.

The term ludology derives from ludus, Latin for game or play. In late 1990s and early 2000s, scholars such as Espen Aarseth distinguished between ludology and narratology, arguing that games should be studied first as systems of play rather than as narratives. The debate, sometimes framed as 'ludology vs narratology,' highlighted different research methods and questions.

Core concerns of ludology include rule-based analysis, formal mechanics, procedural rhetoric, player agency, interaction design, and the study of gameplay as an experiential process. Researchers examine how rules produce strategies, feedback loops, and emergent outcomes, often using computational or formal methods.

Reception: While early claims that games are inherently anti-narrative were contested, many scholars now adopt a hybrid approach that integrates narrative and ludic analysis. The field often draws on related concepts such as gameplay, interactivity, flow, and the procedural turn in media studies.