Game Play: Paratextuality in Contemporary Board Games [Paperback]

The 21st century has seen a board game renaissance. At a time when streaming television finds millions of viewers, video games garner billions of dollars, and social media grows ever more intense, little has been written about the rising popularity of board games. And yet board games are one of our fastest growing hobbies, with sales increasing every year. Today's board games are more than just your average rainy-day mainstay. Once associated solely with geek subcultures, complex and strategic board games are increasingly dominating the playful media environment.

The popularity of these complex board games mirrors the rise of more complex cult media products. InGame Play: Paratextuality in Contemporary Board Games, Paul Booth examines complex board games based on book, TV, and film franchises, includingDoctor Who,The Walking Dead, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek,The Hunger Gamesand the worlds of H.P. Lovecraft. How does a game represent a cult world? How can narratives cross media platforms? By investigating the relationship between these media products and their board game versions, Booth illustrates the connections between cult media, gameplay, and narrative in a digital media environment.

Paul Boothis Associate Professor of Communication at DePaul University, USA. Booth's research interests include fandom, new technologies and media, popular culture, and cult media. He is the author ofTime on TV(2012),Digital Fandom(2010), andPlaying Fans(2014). He has editedFan Phenomena: Doctor Who(2013), and has published numerous articles on fans, social media, and technology. He is currently enjoying a cup of coffee.

Booth's approach demonstrates exemplary textual analysis of games ... This book is that rare combination of solid critical methodologies alongside such clear enthusiasm for the subject matter that anyone with an interest in the hobby could enjoy just as easily as those in the academic filCÌ