Jane McGonigal
RANT GDC 2008
Reality is broken.
Why aren’t game designers trying
to fix it?
1. Satisfying work to do
2. The experience of being good at something
3. Time spent with people we like
4. The chance to be a part of something bigger
Games are the ultimate happiness engine.
If you are a game designer, then YOU are in the happiness
business.
“Why should we care about games?
Because life is crap.
Life is crap, and the ONLY thing that makes it worth living is art – and play.”
- Brian Sutton Smith
“Why should we care about games?
Because life is crap.
Life is crap, and the ONLY thing that makes it worth living is art – and play.”
- Brian Sutton Smith
-and that’s why I’m a game designer.
GAMES KILL BOREDOMFound to be Fatal to Dangerous
Lack of Engagement
Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of boredom, inertia, disinterest, and other serious afflictions of dealing with everyday life.
GAMES KILL ALIENATION
Found to be Fatal to Dangerous Lack of Friends, Allies
Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of social alienation, loneliness, lack of community, friendlessness, and other serious afflictions of co-existing with real people.
GAMES KILL ANXIETYFound to be Fatal to Dangerous
Lack of Confidence
Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of anxiety, fear, social awkwardness and other serious afflictions of being human and alive.
GAMES KILL DEPRESSION
Found to be Fatal to Dangerous Lack of Purpose & Meaning
Games have a value as an aid to quality of life even greater and more direct than has hitherto been suspected. The ordinary routine of playing a game is fatal to conditions of depression, existential angst, human suffering and other serious afflictions of real life.
Games are the ultimate happiness engine.
It’s like we invented the written word… and we decided only to write
books.
5 Things Game Designers Could Fix TODAY.
1. Running
2. Being on a plane
3. Playing fetch
4. Commuting
5. Annoying people
Reality is broken.• Can we fix it?
YES.
• Should we fix it?
HELL YES.
• Will we fix it?
I HAVE NO F’ING IDEA.
MY HEROES• Katie Salen• Justin Hall• Frank Lantz, Nick Fortugno, Kati London• Alice Taylor & Matt Locke• Elan Lee, Sean Stewart & Jim Stewartson• Jesse Alexander• Brian Clark• Ian Kizu-Blair, Sam Levine, Sean Mahan • Ken Eklund• Joe Edelman• Adrian Hon & Dan Hon• Ian Fraser and Finnegan Kelly• Alex Fleetwood and Mink ette
…and a lot more. maybe we WILL do this after all…
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