Roland Barthes – bigtallwords

Nov 29, 2013Jul 10, 2014

From Game to Play: Roland Barthes, Videogames and Criticism

Roland Barthes’ “Death of the author” line of criticism has carried a lot of weight in videogame circles. In large part because it’s just an attractive, empowering theory. Barthes was a French literary critic writing in the 1960’s; a time when literary criticism—particularly from French authors—was a new, dynamic and popular discipline. In killing the … Continue reading From Game to Play: Roland Barthes, Videogames and Criticism

Apr 25, 2012Sep 14, 2016

The Undead Author: Artistic Ownership of Games

[Originally posted on PopMatters] In the weeks after the release of Mass Effect 3, the drama around its unsatisfying ending went to some interesting places. After some discussion over whether or not the ending ought to change1, the conversation muted into whether or not it should be “allowed” to change. And ultimately, the question became, … Continue reading The Undead Author: Artistic Ownership of Games