How do I mention a video game in a formal piece of writing?

Solution 1:

According to Diana Hacker's Research and Documentation (Bedford-St. Martin's), the MLA citation for a video game should follow this format:

From the same source, the APA citation for a video game should follow this format:

(You can't tell from the example of Sims 2, but in an APA citation, only the first word of a title is capitalized. Therefore, Call of Duty would be listed as Call of duty.

These are the formats for a Works Cited/References entry. In the text itself, the title of the video game should be capitalized and italicized, just as the title of a book would be.

Solution 2:

The APA does in fact cover this, though under the broader category of "software."

In text, the title of the video game should NOT be italicized (p. 210). When citing the video game, you'd use the following convention:

Copyright Holder (Year of Publication). Game Title [Software]. Location of Producer: Producer.

Note that Copyright Holder and Producer may be the same.

Source: APA manual, 6th edition. I'll confirm with MLA and Chicago when I get home.

Solution 3:

Chicago Manual of Style 8.190. In running text video game titles are italicized.