More than 174 million Americans are gamers, and the average young person
in the U.S. will spend 10,000 hours gaming by the age of 21. According
to world-renowned game designer Jane McGonigal, the reason for this mass
exodus to virtual worlds is that videogames are increasingly fulfilling
genuine human needs. In this groundbreaking exploration of the power and
future of gaming, McGonigal reveals how we can use the lessons of game
design to fix what is wrong with the real world. Drawing on positive
psychology, cognitive science, and sociology, Reality is Broken
uncovers how game designers have hit on core truths about what makes us
happy and utilized these discoveries to astonishing effect in virtual
environments. Videogames consistently provide the exhilarating rewards,
stimulating challenges, and epic victories that are so often lacking in
the real world. But why, McGonigal asks, should we use the power of
games for escapist entertainment alone? Her research suggests that
gamers are expert problem-solvers and collaborators because they
regularly cooperate with other players to overcome daunting virtual
challenges, and she helped pioneer a fast-growing genre of games that
aims to turn game-play to socially positive ends.
In Reality is Broken, she reveals how these new alternate reality
games are already improving the quality of our daily lives, fighting
social problems such as depression and obesity, and addressing vital
21st-century challenges--and she forecasts the thrilling possibilities
that lie ahead.
"As addictive as Tetris, McGonigal's penetrating, entertaining look into
gaming culture is a vibrant mix of technology, psychology, and
sociology, told with the vision of a futurist and the deft touch of a
storyteller." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)
