IT and the video game industry: tensions and mutual shaping

This paper examines the influence of information technology (IT) on a distinct but closely related industry, the video game industry. We conceptualize the effects of IT as a process of translating three related dimensions of a technological frame – technology performance, industry practices, and use vision – from one industry to another. Through historical examples, we argue that the impact of IT on the video game industry is shaped and limited by this translation process, particularly when tensions between the two industries lead to the development of new complementary or replacement technologies, practices, or visions. Although heavily dependent on IT, the video game industry has had to ignore, postpone, or substantially modify important IT software tools, processors, storage media, graphics, and networking technologies because of these industry contradictions.

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