Introduction

This introduction examines America’s cultural decadence, characterized by repetition over innovation and nostalgia over originality, and positions videogames as a counterforce to this stagnation. Drawing parallels between videogames and medieval cathedrals as transformative spaces, the author introduces “ludonarrativity” as a framework for understanding how videogames function as unique storytelling vehicles. Unlike other media trapped in decadent repetition, videogames offer immersive virtual environments where players actively participate in narrative creation. The chapter outlines the book’s exploration of videogame definition, critical reading approaches, and their potential to revitalize storytelling in a culture that has “given up on original art” and settled into complacency. This introduction situates the author’s argument that videogames, particularly ludonarratives, resist the trend of decadence that characterizes the early 21st century. This decadence manifests in the repetition of genres, franchising of films, pervasive anxiety over technology, and the popular disillusionment with political progress. Videogames, however, have a distinctive capacity that stands apart from this decadence: the ability to construct unique stories within a virtual space. This capacity makes them remarkably akin to medieval cathedrals, which suggests that there is a sacredness to this storyplaying. This introduction establishes a justification for the work to develop a new methodological framework that follows.