The State of Video Game Research in Computer-Supported Cooperative Work – A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Video games have been a unique study context for computer-supported cooperative work (CSCW) researchers for decades. However, despite their collaborative richness, CSCW has not yet developed a systematic understanding of video games as a site for studying cooperation and social interaction—limiting its ability to engage with the increasingly social, digital, and playful nature of work. Particularly, what are the academic characteristics of video game studies? What topics are studied in the context of video games? And what are the unique facets of the video game context? To answer these questions, we conducted a systematic literature review by analyzing 67 studies of video games published in CSCW outlets between 1998 and 2023. We describe these studies’ academic characteristics and the topics studied in the context of video games through seven themes. We further identify six unique facets of collaborative work that scholars gain through game studies. We conclude that video games not only serve as an empirically rich site for examining and enriching existing CSCW theories and frameworks, but also constitute unique and oftentimes novel sociotechnical configurations that recontextualize CSCW. We further point to gaps, opportunities, and future directions for CSCW researchers interested in exploring the diverse social and collaborative dynamics in games, thus contributing to a more inclusive and expansive understanding of collaboration in digitally mediated environments.