Gamers: Cultivating Sustainable Practices for Electronics Care

Electronic waste (e-waste) is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the word and poses significant harm to both the environment and to human life. The development of poorly designed electronic products, and the over marketing of these products and services, their so-called planned obsolescence, has meant more and more e-waste is being produced each year. However, not all electronic devices share this same bleak lifespan; for example, computer games consoles are often kept far longer than anticipated or driven by consumer markets. This opposition that is extending the lifespan of gaming consoles, is being instigated by Gamers and the gaming communities they are connected to. Gamers have a unique connection to their gaming devices as the experience of playing involves the players relationship with both hardware and software. They keep and maintain their gaming devices in opposition to market trends which often encourage the premature replacement of electronic products. Gamers are part of gaming communities, which form intricate networks of connected people. Gaming devices are the nexus connecting these different groups. They are simultaneously a source of entertainment but also a social construct, so they become important and meaningful objects. Understanding the nature of how this connection is formed and fostered, could provide insights into both how future electronic products could be designed, and how a culture of repair and maintenance could be fostered.