Our lives are centered on games. As youngsters, we play games like hopscotch, jacks, and Candyland. As we age the games become more challenging and requires more intelligence and/or athleticism. One action of play can cause various outcomes. So, when are playing games no longer fun.
“Play is older than culture” (Huizinga, 1). Huizinga argues that play is essential to life. The only difference between our play and animal play is that we have less instinctive reasons to play whereas animals play as a way of creating new life.
There are many reasons humans play games. Crawford sees playing games as “a fundamental part of human existence” (Crawford, 1). But are we able to distinguish between what’s real and what’s not. On Second Life, one can create an aviator that resembles them, own land and build properties.
Even though one can build and own property in the virtual world, they never have the opportunity to experience real life issues in their fictional world., like poverty. In Second Life, one can change their clothes and travel almost anywhere with no money. Unlike the real world, one cannot survive without some form of aid.
Yet, these types of games known as MMOGs create cultural experiences. A large majority of adults play some type of video game. According to the Entertainment Software Association, 69% of American head of households play computer and video games (esa.com). Hinton thought, “our daily contact with simultaneously shared digital environments is only increasing and deepening with time” (Hinton). Gamers can now say “we live here” when asked about their online environment.
Not only are people living in the virtual world, they are making a living in the virtual world. They are making so much “real” money in the game that they are able to quit their jobs.
So, if people can make a living in a virtual world is it still a game to them or is it now a business.
Sources:
Hinton, A. “We Live Here: Games, Third Places, and the Information Architecture of the Future.” ASIS&T Bulletin August/September. http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Aug-06/hinton.html
Crawford, C. “What is a Game?” The Art of Computer Game Design.
Huizinga, J. “Nature and Significance of Play as a Cultural Phenomenon” Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play Element in Culture. Boston: Beacon Press, 1950.
