The Purpose of Games

Game-play are common across countries and cultures. Even animals indulge in play as they simulate real conflict. Humans can have many reasons why they play or why they set other people playing.

When playing or designing games, it is always a good idea to think about what people are getting out of the game and how it may change their mind in some way. Here is a large set of purposes that give reason for gaming.

Games as Comfort: repeating recognizable patterns, cocoon

Games as Time-Wasting Just avoiding boredom.

Games as Learning: discomfort, new skills, improvement, progression.

Games as Self-Development: social, risk management

Games as Conflict: Winning and losing.

Games as Hope: gambling, wish-fulfilment.

Games as Hedonism: just for the pure pleasure

Games as Therapy: healing inner hurts

Games as Escape: fantasy, better than movies, visceral, safe

Games as Need-Fulfilment: Getting what you can't get elsewhere.

Games as Social Facilitation: Helping along the conversation.

Games as Bonding: Connecting people as one.

Games as Being: As the person you really want to be.

Game as Purpose: Providing meaning and intent.

Games as Experiencing: That make you happier.

Games as Discovery: Self, others and things.

Games as Storying: With plot, characters and so on.

Games as Real-izing: creating reality in real-time.

Games as Prisons: Lock-in, control and more.

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The Purpose of Games

See also

Quick links

Disciplines

And...

Techniques

Principles

Explanations

Theories