Manga

Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals

Katie Salen Tekinbas

Mangaka: Katie Salen Tekinbas
First published: 2003

Add this to your collection →Buy this series on eBay

0collectors have this

0copies owned

0copies listed for sale

Lore

Why it matters

This volume serves as a foundational text for those exploring the mechanics and underlying structures of the computer gaming medium. By establishing a framework for game design, it remains a meaningful reference for understanding how digital experiences are constructed and interpreted.

Generated by Pi, the collecto.rs collecting companion

Buy

Where to find one

Search for Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals on the marketplaces collectors use.

eBay

Listings from external marketplaces. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases.

Provenance

Where it came from

Published in 2003 by MIT Press, Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals was developed as a foundational text to bridge the gap between academic theory and practical game development. Authors Katie Salen Tekinbas and Eric Zimmerman sought to establish a formal vocabulary for game design, moving the medium away from ad-hoc production toward a discipline grounded in systems thinking and player experience. The book was written at a pivotal moment when game design was transitioning from a craft learned in the trenches to a recognized field of study in higher education.

The design of the volume is intentionally comprehensive, structured around a framework of rules, play, and culture. The authors intended for the book to function as a toolkit for designers rather than a prescriptive manual. Upon its release, it was widely received as the definitive primer for the field, praised for its interdisciplinary approach that draws on cybernetics, sociology, and traditional game theory. It remains a staple in game design curricula worldwide, serving as a primary reference for those seeking to understand the formal architecture of interactive media.

Generated by Pi, the collecto.rs collecting companion

Collectors

Who's collecting this

Real series collectors on collecto.rs who have this in their public collection.

Nobody public has added this series yet — be the first.

About

About Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals

Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals is a series in the Manga catalog on collecto.rs. Katie Salen Tekinbas. Catalog data is sourced from MangaDex. No public series collectors track this one yet — adding yours would make you the first on collecto.rs.

How many collectors track Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals on collecto.rs?

Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals doesn't have any public collectors on collecto.rs yet. Sign up to add it and become the first.

Can I track my own copy of Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals?

Yes. collecto.rs is free — sign up to log your series, upload photos, record condition, edition, and acquisition cost, and connect with other manga collectors. Your collection stays private by default.

Where does the Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals catalog entry come from?

The catalog entry for Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals is sourced from MangaDex. Catalog-level facts stay consistent across every collector; your own data (condition, edition, acquisition notes) is yours.