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The End of Play and the Fate of Digital Play Media: A Historical Perspective on the Marketing of Play Culture

  • Stephen KlineEmail author
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Abstract

Merging the insights of Brian Sutton-Smith and Marshall McLuhan, this chapter argues for the application of media analysis to cultural-historical research into modern playthings and cultures. Reflecting on the 25 years I have spent researching the marketing of play media, I argue that theorists of play, as well as the critiques of children’s toys and games, have recognized the growing role that global marketing dynamics now play in the design, distribution, and use of global playthings.

Keywords

Media Player Cultural Play Digital Play Brian Sutton-Smith Plaything 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© The Author(s) 2018

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Simon Fraser UniversityVancouverCanada

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