First published 2011
Jane McGonigal examines why more than 174 million Americans spend countless hours in virtual worlds. The average young person will log ten thousand gaming hours by age twenty-one. McGonigal argues that video games fulfill genuine human needs by providing rewards, challenges, and victories that real life often lacks. She draws from positive psychology, cognitive science, and sociology to explain how game designers tap into core truths about human happiness. McGonigal champions alternate reality games that tackle social problems. She profiles World Without Oil, which simulates global energy crises, and Evoke, a World Bank project that addresses poverty and climate change. These games transform players into expert problem solvers and collaborators. McGonigal contends that people who dismiss gaming will face serious disadvantages. Those who understand game mechanics can harness their motivational power in personal and professional contexts. The book offers both gamers and skeptics a framework for using game principles to improve daily life and solve community challenges.
Genres: science, psychology, non-fiction, technology, 21st-century, academic
Vibes: informative, persuasive, thought-provoking
Tropes: collaborative, expert-problem-solvers
400 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Press