LudoScience

Studies & Analysis (traditional games)

Author(s) : Johan Huizinga
Editor : Gallimard (réédition - texte original 1938)
Publication date : 01-01-1988
Language : french

The book that founded (1938) the study of games in the humanities. The author states that games is an essential part of human culture, so he explores the role of game in societies. The concept of "magic circle", nowadays popular among researchers and game designers, comes from this book. Alongside with "Man, Play and Games", this is a book that any researcher working on games should read...
This dutch-written book was first translated into English in 1949, and this translation was revised in 1955 which is the English version text we can find today under the title "Homo Ludens."