Jane McGonigal, author of Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World, spoke at Iconosphere 2013 this week. Iconosphere is a conference put on by Iconoculture, a consumers trends and research company. Jane spoke about the tremendously positive effect gaming has on gamers. Unlike at work, where 71% of Americans don’t feel engaged in what they’re doing, gaming is extremely captivating and brings out the following positive emotions in people: excitement, awe & wonder, joy, relief, love, pride, contentment, surprise, curiosity and creativity. Science and research has proven this to be true. Kids with ADHD and/or Autism see decreased symptoms when playing video games. People with mild anxiety or depression feel better after playing video games compared to when taking anti-anxiety or anti-depression medication. And the evidence goes on.
Overall what Jane was conveying was the opportunity gaming presents to all facets of life – to work, to learning, even to banking. Instead of being afraid of “play” or “games” and seeing them as only something to be done when there’s extra time, we need to think about ways to bring game play into more parts of our lives. We’ll benefit from doing so because we’ll be happier, more engaged and more productive.
Kelleen Peckham, Senior Brand Planner
No comments:
Post a Comment