Part I:
After reading both Gray’s and Johan Huizinga’s theories on play and their origins of cultural qualities, I have to say that I lean more towards Gray’s ludic theory of play which discusses the inextricably intertwined relationship of both biology and culture in terms of human behavior. Gray states that play is something that is not serious, and while Huizinga is in agreement, he acknowledges that this quality of non-seriousness is easily dismissed by the realities of competition and agonistic domination between players. I am on the fence in this sense, for reasons I will disclose in my personal denotation of ‘play’. But as for the natural characteristics of play such as authority, time, space, community, spoil-sports and so on, my opinions and creed fall in line with the explanations of Homo Ludens.
Reading Elizabeth Sweet’s essay on the issue of gender division in toys really opened my eyes to a rising trend that I never managed to pay thorough thought or attention to in the past. Now if I walk into the kid’s section at TOYS R US or any other major toy department store, I know that I will be astounded by the thick intangible margin that runs down the aisle between a sea of pink and blue. I agree with the author in how embracing newer norms or newer customs by providing a larger non-color coded range of options would most definitely benefit the leaders of tomorrow as opposed to the current division of boy/girl toys.
In my personal definition of play, play is the voluntary act in the experience of fun, unlike that of beliefs in Toys as Culture. The benefits that come with play are natural and are not qualities that can be forced out of play, instead they build upon one another through a cohesive relationship. I believe that play is neither a fixed situation of seriousness nor non-seriousness, instead, its solemnity character is dependent on the objective of the player at hand. The mind of the player must leave behind determinism, in which the goal is to seek enjoyment only, in which the urgency of enjoyment makes play a need for all players. Once the objective translates over to domination and opponent-based competitions, the true character of play begins to hinder. Solemnity is attached, bringing us to a whole new phase of play, one that is not as strong as pure enjoyment. In the middle of the vast spectrum lies the area of a challenge, in which either an absence or implementation of solemnity is completely possible.
Part ii:
Now that we live in one of the most technologically advanced eras in all of history, it should be of no surprise when I mention that all of my favorite ‘toys’ come from either my mobile phone, video games and or game consoles. Some of the toys I play with most include my iPhone X Pro, my Nintendo Switch, my PS4, and my Playstation VR. I find that I tend to enjoy games and play with toys that are capable of giving me a choice. All of my favorite toys listed above can hold any game I tell them to, in which freedom and personality are both granted. The Nintendo Switch and my iPhone are both handheld devices that I can carry with me anywhere I want to and play with whenever I desire, in any position I wish. In contrast, the VR Headset and Playstation 4 are both consoles and gaming equipment that are fixed in a single location, I have to play by their rules in terms of space and location, but the ability to move while playing is much more fluid and flexible. The target user for all of the toys I’ve chosen is between the ages of 12 – 35. But I don’t necessarily believe that we can place an age limitation/requirement on these consoles, as I am aware of others who do not fit within the range and still relatively enjoy playing with them. All 4 are also currently still available in the market, with constant improvements that are both monthly and yearly updated to tend to the consumer’s everchanging needs. Since I have chosen a total of 4 toys, I have decided to follow up on only the Playstation VR for research and in-depth study/comparison to the readings.
The Playstation VR, otherwise known as the PS VR is developed by the entertainment giant, Sony Computer Entertainment and was released in the fourth quarter of 2016. It was marketed and designed to work in partnership with the PS4/PS5 hence the name, Playstation VR. The headset, which managed to sell over 5 million units as of December 2019, is mounted onto the head of the player and fixed in place with personalized functions and straps. The black and white headset is not wireless, meaning that it is attached to the Playstation console and must remain connected for the entirety of the VR experience. The PS VR also comes with separate purchasable dual Motion Controllers to aid in gaming adventures. It is stated that Sony’s interest in the technology dates back all the way to the 1990s, and that the PS VR was over 3 years in the making.
In terms of its relevancy to our readings this week, the PS VR does not follow trends of gendered toys and follows the course of Huizinga’s teachings much more than that of Grey’s Ludic Theory of Human Nature. The black and white headset strips away any gendered colors of blue or pink and incorporates both females and males in their marketing strategies.
The VR technology follows Huizinga’s argument of the disparity between “real life” and the “play world”, in which the VR world visually displaces the player into a fully immersive temporary sphere of activity away from their normal everyday life. Play in the VR world of PS VR also supports the notion where locality and duration is limited under certain regulations. One can not play forever in the world of VR, there comes a time where the player must take off the headset and return to everyday living. Moreover, space is limited in the fact that the PS VR must remain attached to the console, providing the player with a dedicated but tiny space in which the Playstation’s rules are law if play is to continue.
Tension can also be seen with the use of the VR console, but ultimately depends on the game that is being played, and due to the large array of games at the player’s disposal, the spectrum varies immensely. Some games are more challenging than others, while others go easier on the requirements of in-game skill applications that test tenacity, understanding, and courage. The question of solemnity is also brought into the light now that I have mentioned the broad spectrum that is Playstation games, in which seriousness varies with each game, each player and each goal.