A game is some­thing that we play. A videogame is a dig­i­tal play­space. This is the shape of games to come. To impose stricter def­i­n­i­tions will only serve to sti­fle cre­ativ­i­ty and unnec­es­sar­i­ly cel­e­brate past trends in favor of present and future pos­si­bil­i­ties— this is already happening.

Wombflash For­est

If these pro­posed def­i­n­i­tions are so broad as to include every­thing, and now every­thing is thus a game, then let’s play everything!

[…]

If we’re going to admit sys­tems of rank­ing into our games, to con­struct goals, their design should come from an inti­ma­cy with the mate­ri­als of the play­space as a freely-played space, mean­ing one explored through our own self-direct­ed (and con­stant­ly dis­solv­ing?) goals; these goals should invite us to play with process­es that direct us toward and help real­ize our vision of inner utopia.

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Kars Alfrink

Kars is a designer, researcher and educator focused on emerging technologies, social progress and the built environment.