Tacky Games

The document explores the concept of "tackiness" and "kitsch" specifically within digital games, arguing that traditional art and design theories of kitsch are insufficient for this medium. It posits that while many games exhibit characteristics often associated with kitsch, such as reproducibility, media transfer, and mass consumption, not all games are kitsch, as many are recognized as art. The research aims to identify indicators of tackiness unique to digital games.

An initial study was conducted with two groups of game studies students in European capital cities, comprising male and female students aged 19-42 from 14 different national backgrounds. The survey, recorded via Survey Monkey, revealed that experienced gamers were less likely to classify games as kitsch than beginners, and "cultural distance" correlated with fewer negative judgments. These findings suggest that tackiness is an attribution by players rather than an inherent game property.

The study's second phase involved analyzing classical kitsch theories against student perceptions. It found no strong correlation between perceived kitschiness and criteria like media transfer, low price, ubiquitous availability, or "perverted style." However, a higher correlation was observed when students identified formulaic movements, gestures with stable meanings, and "stock emotions that spontaneously trigger an unreflective emotional response." This aligns with Kulka's definition of kitsch art and Robert Musil's observations on "familiar allegories" in silent movies. The conclusion is that tackiness in games primarily stems from stock emotions and familiar allegories, rather than mediatic transfer or ubiquitous availability. Further research with larger samples and a wider range of games is recommended to consolidate this hypothesis.