videoludico

Videoludico is an Italian term used to describe anything relating to video games and the ludic dimension of digital media. The word combines video (video) and ludico (pertaining to play) and is used both as an adjective (contenuto videoludico) and as a noun (il videoludico). In Italian, the term appears in journalism, cultural criticism, and academic discourse to distinguish the gaming sphere within broader media culture, and to emphasize the playability and interactive nature of games.

In scholarship, videoludico denotes objects, practices, and phenomena associated with video games, including game design, interactivity, player agency, aesthetics, narrative techniques, and online communities. It is closely related to game studies and ludology, fields that analyze how players experience rules, challenges, and the social dimensions of gaming. The scope covers games across platforms—console, PC, and mobile—as well as digital or hybrid forms such as downloadable content and live-service ecosystems.

Debates in Italian discourse sometimes position videoludico against broader cultural studies, questioning whether the concept should focus on gameplay mechanics and ludic processes or on cultural and symbolic meanings of games. In contemporary usage, the term often appears in discussions of culture, economy (industria videoludica), and education (ludic learning).

See also: Video game, Game studies, Ludology, Italian language.