Pursuing Play

Elaine Wong

2023 / 25 minutes
United States / United States
English

Pursuing Play is an ethnographic film that delves into how young adult gamers think, feel, and play in a capitalist world. Inspired by the Visual Novel genre in the world of video games, the film adopts a unique narrative style with game mechanics to examine themes such as agency, coziness, and the interplay between virtual and real worlds. What attracts people to cozy games? Are people drawn towards ‘non-cozy’ games for the same reasons? What do video games offer people that real life cannot? By conversing with three Los Angeles-based gaming enthusiasts through the first-person perspective of filmmaker and anthropologist Elaine Wong, the film reveals how specific video games provide distinct emotional value that other activities may not. Ultimately, Pursuing Play calls for a broader recognition of the distinct self-care platform video games provide with the potential to influence emotional well-being in modern everyday life. By exploring how these gamers integrate gaming into their lives, the film prompts audiences to reflect on what they can learn from this experience.