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What Are Games?
A game is an activity that involves players in a structured, semi-structured, or informal play while adhering to a set of rules and aiming for a specific result such as winning a match or scoring points. Gameplay can be simple & casual or complicated and strategic, frequently including competitive rivalry between players. It can also be collaborative, as in co-op gameplay, or involve a mixture of both. It can also use different tools to interact with the environment, such as a game board or pieces of playing money. These can be physical tokens, such as pawns on a table, or virtual ones, like in-game currency. This interaction can be relatively simple (as in the case of Tic-Tac-Toe or Candyland), or very complex and strategic, such as in the asymmetrical strategy games of Chess or Scythe where actions taken now can have long-term effects for the player.
Games have many benefits and are often an important part of our culture. They provide a platform for social interactions, problem-solving, collaboration, and exploration of identities. They can also be used as a learning tool to support learning outcomes such as cognitive skills, problem-solving, decision making, and memory. In fact, there is a growing field of research in game-based learning.
However, despite their popularity and the wide range of educational and entertainment opportunities they offer, the concept of a game is still a very contested one. This is due to the fact that there are so many different definitions of a game out there, and that each individual’s personal experience will shape their definition.
There are a number of different approaches to understanding what games are, with some being more academic than others. Bernard Suits defines a game as “the voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles.” This takes into account both the agency of the player to choose to play and the magic circle that constrains the means by which they can surmount game challenges.
Another approach is that of Tracey Fullerton, who defines a game as “a closed formal system of interactivity with other players to produce an unequal outcome.” This builds upon Suits’ definition but highlights the inequality of results for participants in the conflict. This also highlights how a game’s rules can alter the way in which it is played, for example a car race on a street will have radically different gameplay from a race at an auto track.
In addition to these more theoretical approaches, there are a number of gaming terms and techniques that help to further define the concept. These include esports, roguelikes, MMOs, and action-puzzle games. Each of these types has their own unique characteristics and appeals.
There is also a large genre of games that are designed specifically to be fun and entertaining, such as video games or board games. These are often referred to as casual or entertainment games and typically have an engaging story or narrative and easy-to-understand controls. They can be free to play or require a purchase at the time of release. Finally, there are serious games that aim to teach or train a particular skill, such as teamwork, leadership, or strategic thinking.
