{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T14:40:09Z","timestamp":1777646409290,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":70,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2012,3,1]],"date-time":"2012-03-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1330560000000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Games and Culture"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2012,3]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>This article discusses knowledge production in game studies by exploring notions of emotion, closeness and (queer) desire in new media ethnography. It uses field notes and experiences from an ethnographic study of the online game World of Warcraft. As opposed to the kind of fieldwork where being, living, and staying in the field is the only option, new media ethnography brings with it the possibility of moving through different locations and bodies to the point where the borders between them may start to blur. The text positions itself within this very uncertainty to investigate its consequences for ways of knowing online game cultures. Drawing on autoethnography, as well as the body of ethnographic work interrogating erotic subjectivity and desire in the field, the discussion makes use of personal experiences - in particular an in-game as well as out-of-the game love affair - as potentially important sources of knowledge. Was it her, regardless of the game? Was it her through the game? Or was it the game \u201citself \u201d? The article provides the story of a particular way of being introduced to and of falling for a game, a woman, and the ways in which these two were intensely connected. Set against the backdrop of \u201cthe affective turn\u201d in cultural and feminist theory, and in making visible how desire may circulate through game spaces, the article argues for an articulation of desire as intimately related to technology; of desiring technology and of technological, or perhaps technologized desires.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1555412012451124","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2012,7,13]],"date-time":"2012-07-13T14:13:33Z","timestamp":1342188813000},"page":"164-184","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":30,"title":["Desires at Play"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"7","author":[{"given":"Jenny","family":"Sund\u00e9n","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Gender, Culture and History, S\u00f6dert\u00f6rn University, Stockholm, Sweden"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2012,7,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-1555412012451124","volume-title":"The cultural politics of emotion","author":"Ahmed S.","year":"2004"},{"key":"bibr2-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203420379_chapter_4"},{"key":"bibr3-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0891241605280449"},{"key":"bibr4-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/0891241606286980"},{"key":"bibr5-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Material virtualities: Approaching online textual embodiment","author":"Sund\u00e9n J","year":"2003"},{"key":"bibr6-1555412012451124","first-page":"30","volume-title":"Cyberfeminism in Northern lights: Gender and digital media in a Nordic context","author":"Sund\u00e9n J","year":"2007"},{"key":"bibr7-1555412012451124","first-page":"147","volume-title":"Bits of life: Feminism and the new cultures of media and technoscience","author":"Sund\u00e9n J","year":"2008"},{"key":"bibr8-1555412012451124","first-page":"45","volume-title":"Working with affect in feminist readings: Disturbing differences","author":"Sund\u00e9n J","year":"2010"},{"key":"bibr9-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203143148"},{"key":"bibr10-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4135\/9781452204710"},{"key":"bibr11-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Coming of age in second life: An anthropologist explores the virtually human","author":"Boellstorff T.","year":"2008"},{"key":"bibr12-1555412012451124","unstructured":"Bogost I. (2008). The phenomenology of videogames. Keynote, Philosophy of computer games conference, May 8, Potsdam, Germany."},{"key":"bibr13-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1080\/02614360306571"},{"key":"bibr14-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Reflections of a woman anthropologist: No hiding place","author":"Cesara M.","year":"1982"},{"key":"bibr15-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1525\/9780520946286"},{"key":"bibr16-1555412012451124","first-page":"59","volume-title":"Computer games: Text, narrative and play","author":"Carr D.","year":"2006"},{"key":"bibr17-1555412012451124","unstructured":"Colman F. (2008). Affective game topologies: Any-space-whatevers. Refractory: A Journal of Entertainment Media, 13. Retrieved June 12, 2012, from  http:\/\/refractory.unimelb.edu.au\/2008\/05\/21\/affective-game-topologies-any-space-whatevers-felicity-j-colman\/"},{"key":"bibr18-1555412012451124","unstructured":"Consalvo M. (2003). It\u2019s a queer world after all: Studying the Sims and Sexuality. GLAAD Centre for the Study of Media and Society. Retrieved December 8, 2008, from http:\/\/www.glaad.org\/documents\/csms\/The_Sims.pdf"},{"key":"bibr19-1555412012451124","first-page":"63","volume-title":"Digital culture, play and identity: A World of Warcraft\u00ae reader","author":"Corneliussen H.","year":"2008"},{"key":"bibr20-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/089124195024003002"},{"key":"bibr21-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1555412010364980"},{"key":"bibr22-1555412012451124","volume-title":"The ethnographic I: A methodological novel about Auto-ethnography","author":"Ellis C.","year":"2004"},{"key":"bibr23-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/030631200030005005"},{"key":"bibr24-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/089124193022003001"},{"key":"bibr25-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Works and lives: The Anthropologist as author","author":"Geertz C.","year":"1988"},{"key":"bibr26-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1057\/fr.2008.10"},{"key":"bibr27-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Space, time, and perversion: Essays on the politics of bodies","author":"Grosz E.","year":"1995"},{"key":"bibr28-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Modest witness@second millennium. femaleman\u00a9 meets oncomouse\u2122: Feminism and technoscience","author":"Haraway D.","year":"1997"},{"key":"bibr29-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4135\/9780857020277"},{"key":"bibr30-1555412012451124","first-page":"131","volume-title":"Everyday inequalities: Critical inquiries","author":"Kendall L.","year":"1998"},{"key":"bibr31-1555412012451124","first-page":"99","volume-title":"Internet inquiry: Conversations about method","author":"Kendall L.","year":"2008"},{"key":"bibr32-1555412012451124","first-page":"183","volume-title":"Feminism in popular culture","author":"Kennedy H.","year":"2006"},{"key":"bibr33-1555412012451124","first-page":"23","volume-title":"Shadows in the field: New perspectives for fieldwork in ethnomusicology","author":"Kisliuk M","year":"1997"},{"key":"bibr34-1555412012451124","unstructured":"Krotoski A. (2006). How queer: Wow and their unfortunate LGB policy. The Guardian, Retrieved 12 June, 2012, from http:\/\/www.guardian.co.uk\/technology\/gamesblog\/2006\/jan\/30\/howqueerwowa."},{"key":"bibr35-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1555412005281913"},{"key":"bibr36-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203420379"},{"key":"bibr37-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203420379"},{"key":"bibr38-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1460-2466.1992.tb00816.x"},{"key":"bibr39-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Out in the field: Reflections of lesbian and gay anthropologists","author":"Lewin E.","year":"1996"},{"key":"bibr40-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Presentation at DiGRA 2009: Breaking new ground: Innovation in games, play, practice and theory","author":"Light B.","year":"2009"},{"key":"bibr41-1555412012451124","unstructured":"Lin H. (2005). Gendered gaming experience in social space: From home to internet caf\u00e9. Proceedings of DiGRA 2005 Conference: Changing Views\u2014Worlds in Play, June 2005. Retrieved June 12, 2012 from http:\/\/www.digra.org\/dl\/db\/06278.26054.pdf"},{"key":"bibr42-1555412012451124","first-page":"15","volume-title":"Den kompetenta gamern: En konferens om ny mediekompetens: Rapport fr\u00e5n nordiskt kuturforum 23 November 2007","author":"Linderoth J.","year":"2008"},{"key":"bibr43-1555412012451124","volume-title":"A diary in the strict sense of the term","author":"Malinowski B.","year":"1967"},{"key":"bibr44-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Sex, sexuality and the anthropologist","author":"Markowitz F.","year":"1999"},{"key":"bibr45-1555412012451124","volume-title":"The internet: An ethnographic approach","author":"Miller D.","year":"2000"},{"key":"bibr46-1555412012451124","first-page":"6","volume-title":"Other players conference proceedings","author":"Mortensen T. E.","year":"2004"},{"key":"bibr47-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1180875.1180898"},{"key":"bibr48-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1525\/can.1993.8.1.02a00010"},{"key":"bibr49-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1145\/1753326.1753361"},{"key":"bibr50-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1525\/9780520941045"},{"key":"bibr51-1555412012451124","volume-title":"The game of (family) life: Intra-family play in world of warcraft","author":"Peterson H.","year":"2007"},{"key":"bibr52-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1525\/9780520946286-004"},{"key":"bibr53-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203163672"},{"key":"bibr54-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4324\/9780203167854"},{"key":"bibr55-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Blush: Faces of shame","author":"Probyn E.","year":"2005"},{"key":"bibr56-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Reflections on fieldwork in Morocco","author":"Rabinow P.","year":"1977"},{"key":"bibr57-1555412012451124","first-page":"1","volume-title":"Auto\/Ethnography: Rewriting the self and the social","author":"Reed-Danahay D.","year":"1997"},{"key":"bibr58-1555412012451124","first-page":"19","volume-title":"Digital culture, play and identity: A World of Warcraft\u00ae reader","author":"Rettberg S.","year":"2008"},{"key":"bibr59-1555412012451124","volume-title":"The words that took us there: Ethnography in virtual reality","author":"Schaap F.","year":"2002"},{"key":"bibr60-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/135485650000600404"},{"key":"bibr61-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/1555412009339729"},{"key":"bibr62-1555412012451124","unstructured":"Taylor N. (2008). Periscopic play: Re-positioning \u2018the field\u2019 in MMO studies. Loading, 2, Retrieved June 12, 2012, from http:\/\/journals.sfu.ca\/loading\/index.php\/loading\/article\/view\/43\/40"},{"key":"bibr63-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1177\/135485650300900103"},{"key":"bibr64-1555412012451124","first-page":"25","volume":"19","author":"Taylor T. L.","year":"2003","journal-title":"International Journal of Engineering Education"},{"key":"bibr65-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7551\/mitpress\/5418.001.0001"},{"key":"bibr66-1555412012451124","first-page":"129","volume-title":"Critical journeys: The making of anthropologists","author":"Unnithan-Kumar M.","year":"2006"},{"key":"bibr67-1555412012451124","volume-title":"Tales of the field: On writing ethnography","author":"Van Maanen J.","year":"1988"},{"key":"bibr68-1555412012451124","volume-title":"The politics of passion: Women\u2019s sexual culture in the Afro-Surinamese diaspora","author":"Wekker G.","year":"2006"},{"key":"bibr69-1555412012451124","unstructured":"Yee N. (2003). Gaming with romantic partners and family members. Posted on March 27, 2003. Retrieved June 12, 2012, from http:\/\/www.nickyee.com\/daedalus\/archives\/000430.php"},{"key":"bibr70-1555412012451124","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.7551\/mitpress\/7477.003.0010"}],"container-title":["Games and Culture"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1555412012451124","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full-xml\/10.1177\/1555412012451124","content-type":"application\/xml","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/pdf\/10.1177\/1555412012451124","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,29]],"date-time":"2026-04-29T06:35:09Z","timestamp":1777444509000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/1555412012451124"}},"subtitle":["On Closeness and Epistemological Uncertainty"],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2012,3]]},"references-count":70,"journal-issue":{"issue":"2","published-print":{"date-parts":[[2012,3]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1177\/1555412012451124"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/1555412012451124","relation":{},"ISSN":["1555-4120","1555-4139"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1555-4120","type":"print"},{"value":"1555-4139","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2012,3]]}}}