Pinpointing the pathways and predilections of the digital players

This article investigates the social mechanisms at play during the formation of a gaming habitus—the core set of values, beliefs, and judgments apparent in different players of digital games. In-depth interviews were held with 36 Swedish players of digital games, detailing their current and previous gaming habits and preferences, as well as their childhood and school experiences. The results, presented as vignettes, describe four distinct pathways into the habit of gaming, resulting in four forms of gaming habitus: cultural-casual, cultural-hardcore, sporty-casual, and sporty-hardcore. The article offers a detailed exposé into the inner workings of the gaming habitus of different players, and proposes a widened perspective on the impact of socialisation as an important impetus in the gradual shaping of a taste for digital games.