Trophy Cases: The Theory, Design, and Cultural Politics of Video Game Trophies and Achievements

An interdisciplinary and international roster of contributors explore the theory, design, and player practices surrounding video game reward systems, arguing for the importance of understanding trophies and achievements as a central aspect of video game design and play. As PlayStation Trophies, Xbox Achievements, and other similar built-in reward systems have become widespread in the video game landscape, this volume asks critical questions about how these systems affect the games we play and the communities that surround them. Through analyses of a range of video games, from well-known franchises like Call of Duty to overlooked sleeper hits like Nier Automata and even niche otome titles like Hakuoki, contributors approach these award systems from a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives to theorize their incorporation into the contemporary game market, the role they play as a component of game design, and the innovative ways that players choose to (or not to) pursue them.