In a week, I will be doing a “book talk” at the University of Washington for the Open Scholarship Commons and the Critical Gaming Collaboration Studio for the book I co-wrote with my friend Timothy Welsh. Here’s the event description:
Join the OSC Critical Gaming Collaboration Studio for a relaxed and engaging book talk with Edmond Y. Chang and Timothy J. Welsh, authors of Video Games, Literature, and Close Playing: A Practical Guide. If you’ve ever wished there were better ways to talk about games in the classroom, or if you just love thinking deeply about the games you play, this event is for you.
Their book breaks down how video games can be “read” much like literature, using 24 case studies that range from classics like Tetris to story-rich favorites like Undertale, Gone Home, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Chang and Welsh offer practical teaching ideas and approachable methods for studying games without losing the joy of play, and they make a compelling case for why games belong in literary and cultural studies. Together, they explore what “close playing” looks like in practice and how these ideas can shape classrooms, research, and creative projects, all while keeping storytelling, mechanics, and player experience at the center.
Come hang out, ask questions, and connect with others who care about storytelling, gameplay, and the spaces where they overlap. The event will feature a 45-minute roundtable conversation, followed by a 15-minute audience Q&A and a 15-minute reception.
Thank you to the organizers, the Open Scholarship Commons, the Critical Gaming Collaboration Studio, and the UW Libraries for the invitation and opportunity to talk about our new book.