The study, based on Glaser’s classical version of Grounded Theory, revealed that stereotyping of digital games is the core issue and main concern of participants, acting as a barrier to successful digital game-based learning, including visual arts education. The initial data codes of the study were already linked to stereotypes and stereotyping, such as “harmful for creativity” and “it’s not art.” Participants also highlighted their efforts to challenge stereotypes associated with digital games, for example: “Games are not meaningless wars. This is where children learn how to fight so that they can learn how to reconcile.”

The participants' responses consistently revolved around proving the educational potential of digital games, emphasizing their positive attributes, and explaining game elements from the perspective of players. According to gamers, digital games are often misunderstood and perceived negatively by educators and society at large. Persistent negative stereotyping of digital games reflects a broader rejection of gamers as a distinct subgroup and an unwillingness to accept them due to their association with gaming.

A common stereotype suggests that digital games are neither an acceptable nor a valid learning tool in educational contexts. Therefore, overcoming this stereotyping requires significant modifications and improvements to the education system to create space for digital games as a positive educational tool capable of fostering successful and high-quality learning experiences.

Three distinct strategies emerged to address the problem of stereotyping: Liberté (liberty), Securité (security), and Autocratie (autocracy). These strategies represent different processes, each reflecting unique modes and characteristics used to resolve the main concern.

The Securité strategy follows a pseudo-mediation approach, meaning it creates the impression that the stereotyping of digital games is being resolved. This approach provides a "safe" resolution by eliminating all negative aspects of digital games associated with stereotypes while incorporating positive elements—such as high-quality graphics, positive characters, meaningful narratives, and educational content—to make the games appear safer and more socially acceptable. These positive attributes counterbalance the negative stereotypes often linked to digital games. During the research process, data analysis and conceptualization revealed several Securité processes: Censoring, Labelling, Critical Rating, Scientification, and Guiding.

Autocratie, by contrast, follows an anti-mediation approach. Its processes prevent the resolution of stereotyping by reflecting the school system, teachers, and broader education structures from the perspective of gamers. Autocratie highlights how gamers view their relationship with the education system, their role within it, and the values schools promote about their activities and skills. It serves as a meta-perspective on the education system, encompassing its participants, processes, and principles. The Autocratie processes—such as Power Without Authority, Hyper-Care, Hyper-Intellectualization, Domination, and Standardization—reinforce negative stereotypes about digital games, sustaining the issue through systemic influences. These processes function as anti-mediators, opposing efforts to resolve the stereotyping problem.

The Liberté strategy adopts a mediation approach, where processes act as intermediaries to address stereotyping. Liberté is characterized by the free choice of actions that generate specific processes aimed at resolving the issue. It incorporates both positive and controversial aspects of digital games and can lead to both positive and negative outcomes. A key feature of Liberté is its use of internal mechanisms of digital games to address external concerns like stereotyping. Liberté consists of two subcategories: Anarchie and Artes Liberales. Anarchie represents a closed cycle where the positive and negative aspects of digital games reinforce each other, intensifying the issue of stereotyping rather than resolving it. Artes Liberales, on the other hand, uses visual arts as a mediator to channel the attributes of digital games toward addressing the stereotyping concern. The mediation processes in Liberté include (Self-) Liberation, Empowerment, Positioning, and Lobbying, all of which aim to overcome stereotyping.

This study utilized a classic Grounded Theory (GT) methodology to explore the under-researched area of digital game-based learning in visual arts. GT is an inductive method that builds theory through systematic data collection, synthesis, and analysis, with the theory emerging directly from the data (Glaser, Holton, 2004). One fundamental principle of GT is that researchers do not begin with a fixed research question; instead, the study problem emerges during the coding and analysis stages, with the core category revealing how the problem is resolved (Glaser, 1978, 1998, 2005; Holton, Walsh, 2017). In this research, GT was applied in its entirety, with the researcher strictly following all required procedures (Holton, 2009, 2015; Simmons, 2011). The data analysis process followed GT stages: substantive coding, which included open and selective coding, and theoretical coding. Throughout the study, continuous memoing was performed. The entire process, including data collection, coding, theoretical sampling, memoing, and constant comparison, was conducted in a cyclic manner, with the researcher revisiting earlier stages as needed (Glaser, 1978). All steps were carefully executed without omission (Glaser, 1978). GT theory is driven by the emerging data, allowing for various types of data to be used as long as they are relevant and appropriate (Holton, Walsh, 2017). In this study, the data came from a range of sources: GT theory is driven by the emerging data, allowing for various types of data to be used as long as they are relevant and appropriate (Holton, Walsh, 2017). In this study, the data came from a range of sources: • 22 in-depth interviews: 21 with gamers and 1 with an art critic and expert teacher. • A focus group with 8th-grade students, all of whom were avid digital game players. • Observations at the GameOn video game culture exhibition (2015 and 2019) and the BLON Animation and Games Festival (2019), as well as informal observations at Tallinn University’s “Course on the Creation of Serious Games.” • Observations at meetings of the Lithuanian Game Developers Association in 2018 and 2019. • Informal conversations with game developers, players, and researchers from November 2017 to January 2018 during an internship at the IT University of Copenhagen. • Written interviews with eight art teachers and three art teacher candidates on digital game-based visual arts education. • Articles from various online platforms, including reader comments and social media interactions. • Informal written communication with study participants.

The study revealed that stereotyping of digital games acts as a significant barrier to developing a pedagogy for visual arts education based on digital games. Players face stigma due to negative perceptions of digital games' impact, separating gamers from the broader learning community. In visual arts education, this negative stereotype is reinforced by the devaluation of art lessons. The study uncovered the latent behavioral patterns of digital game players, who aim to challenge and disrupt these stereotypes. They focus on reinterpreting digital games as a legitimate tool for learning visual arts. Through continuous evaluation, players refine strategies by contrasting three key approaches: liberté (freedom), sécurite (safety), and autocratie (authority-based behavior). The study identifies three strategies for addressing digital game stereotyping in education. The Securité strategy uses a pseudo-mediation approach, emphasizing positive elements, like high-quality graphics and educational content, to counterbalance negative stereotypes. However, it may mask the issue rather than address its root causes. Autocratie, in contrast, reinforces stereotypes through systemic influences within the education system, making the problem harder to resolve. The Liberté strategy adopts a mediation approach, using both positive and controversial aspects of digital games to challenge stereotyping. While some aspects of Liberté, like Anarchie, may intensify the issue, others, such as Artes Liberales, use visual arts to positively reshape perceptions of digital games. The study ultimately demonstrates the complexity of resolving stereotyping, with each strategy presenting unique challenges and opportunities. It highlights the need for a nuanced approach to overcoming negative perceptions of digital games in education, especially in visual arts education.

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