Degree

BS (Social Sciences & Liberal Arts)

Faculty / School

School of Economics and Social Sciences (SESS)

Department

Department of Social Sciences & Liberal Arts

Date of Award

Summer 2024

Date of Submission

2024-07-24

Advisor

Rahma Muhammad Mian, Lecturer, Department of Social Sciences

Committee

Dr. Ali Gibran Siddiqui, Assistant Professor, Institute of Business Administration

Project Type

SSLA Culminating Experience

Access Type

Restricted Access

Keywords

piracy, video game cultures, digital media, decoloniality, accessibility

Abstract

This thesis studies video game piracy under critical media theories and methods. Using postcolonial and decolonial perspectives, this thesis argues for piracy as a key component of the Pakistani gaming community. Beginning with foundational definitions, this research uncovers the vague parameters and socio-cultural understandings of piracy. It argues for fluidity and extra-legality while thinking of piracy not as a form of theft, but as a powerful tool towards generating equitable media. It critiques the hegemony of global, usually North Atlantic, copyright regimes, brought on by laws such as the TRIPS Agreement in 1995 by the World Trade Organization. It observes how piracy extends itself into digital media, enabling informal or shadow economies and challenging dominant narratives of intellectual property. A primary focus of study is Rainbow Centre, a market-bazaar that has been a key hub of piracy since its genesis in the 80s in Karachi, Pakistan. It examines its evolution from a traditional media market selling audio-visual material such as films, shows, and music to a hub for gaming retailers. Through a theory of ‘jugaar’, observations, and interviews, this chapter illuminates the Rainbow Centre’s transformative impact on the state of piracy. Lastly, this thesis studies the making of a modern Pakistani gamer, through interviews with gamers. It argues for an understanding of piracy as not just the preferred way of playing games, but the only way. Furthermore, it highlights the sheer ubiquity and vitality of gaming’s entanglement with piracy for Pakistani gamers. Tracing piracy to arcades, this thesis concludes by attributing a portion of the success of Pakistan’s esports presence, and gaming as a whole, enabled only, and only by piracy.

Pages

51

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