Hack “Start” to Continue: A Mixed-Method Study of Video Game Hardware Modifications

While modifications (“modding” or “mods”) to video-game software are well documented in academic research, mods to game hardware have received significantly less attention. As a range of hardware-focused practices has given rise to related communities and small businesses, an exploration of such practices is necessary. This paper outlines and contextualizes hardware modding through original research illuminating the activities and motivations of hardware modders. A mixed-method approach is employed to gather quantitative data concerning specific acts of modding as well as qualitative information about participants’ reasons for doing so. Results suggest that older, discontinued hardware are overwhelmingly popular objects of modding. Commonalities exist with software modding regarding participants’ enthusiasm for the work of modding, but key differences materialize surrounding classifications of labour and related compensation. Areas for further research include implications for preservation and environmental efforts.