Ludo Essay and Ludophilia: The Beginner's Guide as a Ludographic Essay

Abstract

The article proposes a systematization of the contemporary production of ludoessays, that is the non-fiction audiovisual reflexive works focusing on videogames or, in some cases, made through the videogame itself. Namely, the article individuates a continuity between the paratextual production practices on videogames and the contemporary developments of the audiovisual essay. Finally, the article proposes a case study on The Beginner's Guide, a videogame that seems to summarize and, at the same time, undermine some of the premises and implications of the ludographic practice.