Abstract
In today's digital age, digital games point to an extremely important structure in terms of the audiences they appeal to, and the concept of metaverse, which has experienced a great increase in the speed of development in recent years, is also an area that affects digital games. Therefore, within the scope of this study, the process of digital games becoming metaverse in the near future is discussed. However, the study does not address only these two issues. Within the scope of this chapter, virtual gender creations that can be created in the context of the metaverse, together with the participation of digital games in the metaverse universe, are also examined with SWOT analysis. In addition, attention is drawn to the situations that may arise in terms of the fact that these developing technological structures can be reconfigured with virtual or meta-avatars that can be created. For this reason, within the scope of the study, it has been tried to be explained by examining how gender creations from digital games to meta-universe can affect the current situation.
TopConcept Of Digital Gaming
In order to understand digital games or digital games, it is first necessary to divide the concept into two and explain each word in itself. Because the concept of digital game is a concept that is formed by the combination of the words digital and game. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to explain what digital signifies. It indicates the continuity of codes with digital, analog indicators (Chandler and Munday 2018: 92). According to another definition to support this view, the concept of digital is explained as a structure that covers the process of electronic processing of data (Bozkurt, et al. 2021: 36), not electronic devices in general. In this respect, it is not wrong to define digital as the electronification or digitization of traditional systems.
Another concept that should be mentioned after understanding what digital is the concept of game. Because, in order to understand the digital game, first of all, it is necessary to know what the concepts of digital and game are. The concept of game can generally be expressed as a form of entertainment that children or individuals perform depending on a certain rule or independently (Samur 2016: 2). In addition, it is possible to explain the concept of game as a structure or verb that can be expressed as irrational rather than mechanical (Tekerek 2006: 47) that emerged as a result of the need to enjoy human nature. From this perspective, it is possible to explain the game as an action with or without rules coming from the human mind.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Gender Creation: Within the scope of this study, this concept can be expressed as a kind of gender statement that is produced or recreated in addition to the male or female genders assigned to individuals at birth.
Metaverse: In other words, it can be expressed as a kind of neo-universe, which is called the meta-universe and is obtained by reproducing the existing reality in virtual or digital environments.
Digital Game: In general, it can be expressed as games designed using digital technologies and developing with digital developments.
SWOT Analysis: This analysis, which is frequently used by companies, examines the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a situation in detail. In this respect, we can express SWOT Analysis as a comparative method or a method that provides multiple perspectives.
Virtually Created Avatar: It has occurred as a result of the great development of digital technologies and the development of virtual universes, or in other words, technologies called metaverse (meta-universe, neo-universe). It can be expressed as a virtual-reflection, virtual-creation figure that people using this technology use to show their virtual existence.
Simulation Theory: It appears as a concept attributed to the French scientist Baudrillard. This theory, which is similar to Plato's cave analogy with the discourses it produces, basically states that the universe we live in is actually a reflection of the truth. In this context, it can be expressed as a concept that contains the reproduction of reality.
Virtual Reality: It is an expression that can be used to express all the developments such as the metaverse resulting from digitalization. This expression in general can be expressed as an abstract and concrete reality as a result of the virtualization of the existing reality.