Situated Play - Just a Temporary Blip?

In this paper we discuss how cognitive science may contribute to understanding the concepts of situatedness and situated play. While situatedness has become something of a catch-all term, it actually has several different meanings, ranging from “higher” social-cultural forms to “lower” sensori-motoric activities. We also discuss an often overlooked, but crucial aspect of situatedness, which is the use of external resources such as tools and their use. As will become apparent, a more thorough understanding of situatedness and tool use are key to understanding computer games and people’s everyday playing activities.