Platform studies has gained momentum since Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost published their monograph on the Atari VCS in 2009. Presently there are seven books in the MIT Press series covering various digital platforms from older systems such as the BBC Micro to modern ones like Nintendo Wii. Nathan Altice has broadened the scope of the platform studies framework, by arguing that playing cards can be understood as a platform. Broadening the platform studies framework to include analog games reveals a blind spot in the analytical frame—platform studies prioritizes the technical aspects of platforms over their cultural and social dynamics. This essay argues that better consideration of the cultural and social dynamics of platforms could strengthen the platform studies framework
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