The demoscene is a form of digital culture that emerged in the mid-1980s after home
computers started becoming commonplace. Throughout its approximately thirty years
of existence it has changed in a number of ways, due to both external and internal factors.
The most evident external driver has been the considerable technological development
of the period, which has forced the community to react in its own particular
ways.

A modest body of research on the demoscene already exists, even though several
topics still remain unstudied. In this thesis I approach the scene from three different
angles: community, artefacts and relationship with technology. The most important
frames of reference are subcultural studies, history of computing, game studies,
domestication of technology and software studies. The research material is equally
diverse, consisting of texts, creative works and interviews.

The study paints an uncommon picture of the scene as a meritocracy that actively and
even aggressively debates technological change. Technical prowess does not imply
embracing new gadgets uncritically, in particular because their perceived ease is in
dire contrast with the shared ethic that emphasises individuals’ skill. Practices, interests
and relationships to other communities – gamers in particular – are still subject
to constant change and, therefore, we should not consider the demoscene as a frozen
monoculture, but rather as a group of phenomena that are linked to different periods
of time, locations and computing platforms.