Product Information
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)Product Identifiers
PublisherBrilliance Publishing, Inc.
ISBN-101491592060
ISBN-139781491592069
eBay Product ID (ePID)219450764
Product Key Features
Book TitleReality Is Broken : Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World
TopicVideo & Electronic, Essays
Publication Year2015
LanguageEnglish
GenreGames & Activities, Social Science
AuthorJane Mcgonigal
Dimensions
Item Height0.5in
Item Length6.8in
Item Width5.2in
Item Weight2.7 Oz
Additional Product Features
Intended AudienceTrade
Dewey Edition22
Number of Volumes1 Vol.
Dewey Decimal306.4/87
Edition DescriptionUnabridged Edition