Playing to Win

November 1, 2014

This volume focuses on the role that video games and sports fantasy leagues play in modern society. Editors Brookey (telecommunications, Ball State Univ.; Hollywood Gamers) and Oates (American studies, journalism and mass communication, Univ. of Iowa) tackle absorbing topics which examine the nature of "play" and its deeper meaning. Topics include the role of masculinity and male power evident in sports video games as well as the blurring of lines between myth and reality in order to create games that are as realistic as possible. There is also an examination of fantasy leaguers and their painstaking process of crunching numbers as a way to better understand and participate in a game that they cannot physically compete in. As one contributor notes, "there [is] something quintessentially male about fetishistically watching and remembering statistical representations of real sporting events." The consideration that arises again and again in this book is whether or not these players are playing active or passive roles, and, ultimately, what these games do for the betterment of their lives. VERDICT Numerous avenues of inquiry worthy of closer investigation are offered in this book. As such, this work is a useful contribution to this burgeoning field of study.--Brian Renvall, Mesalands Community Coll., Tucumcari, NM

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