Connecting Games + Reality Jane McGonigal, PhD Institute for the Future

Context

For many gamers today, reality is broken.

Networked games work better than reality. Better Instructions Better Feedback Better Community

Better Instructions

Better Feedback

Better Community

I’m not the first to notice this. “ We are witnessing what amounts to no less than a global mass exodus to virtual worlds and other online gaming environments.” – economist Edward Castranova

“ We are witnessing what amounts to no less than a global mass exodus to virtual worlds and other online gaming environments.”

– economist Edward Castranova

It’s an exodus of time (16+ hrs/wk) … of attention (10 hrs/wk} … of money ($1.5 B) … and of passion . Believe it or not, this is perfectly rational behavior .

For many gamers today, in terms of perceived quality of life, virtuality is beating reality. So what are we, the mobile content community, going to do about it?

For many gamers today, in terms of perceived quality of life, virtuality is beating reality.

So what are we, the mobile content community, going to do about it?

The way I see it, we have two options: Learn from the success of immersive gaming –and keep helping people escape reality. Learn from t he success of immersive gaming – and make reality more engaging.

The way I see it, we have two options:

Learn from the success of immersive gaming –and keep helping people escape reality.

Learn from t he success of immersive gaming – and make reality more engaging.

The way I see it, we have two options: Learn from the success of immersive gaming –and keep helping people escape reality. Learn from t he success of immersive gaming – and make reality more engaging.

The way I see it, we have two options:

Learn from the success of immersive gaming –and keep helping people escape reality.

Learn from t he success of immersive gaming – and make reality more engaging.

Signals

Signal #1: “ Life Hacking” Games Mobile Content: Foresight

Signal #2: Content is Increasingly 360 Mobile Content: Foresight

“ Life Hacking” Games + Abundant 360 Content = A new kind of mobile experience: reality-based gaming Mobile Content: Foresight

Forecast

One of the most important technology trends over the next 3-5 years will be the effort to embed the dynamics of networked gaming in everyday life. Mobile Content in 2012: A Future Forecast

Instead of demanding games that are more and more realistic, players will demand that ordinary reality start working more and more like their favorite games. Mobile Content in 2012: A Future Forecast

A new wave of immersive, reality-based mobile games will be developed to meet this rising demand. Mobile Content in 2012: A Future Forecast

Drivers

1) Social “shared reality” technologies: Bluetooth Mobile social network applications Mobile augmented reality displays Mobile Content in 2012: A Future Forecast

1) Social “shared reality” technologies:

Bluetooth

Mobile social network applications

Mobile augmented reality displays

2) Physical “embodied reality” technologies: Accelerometers Proximity sensors: RFID, e.g. Geotracking and compass Mobile Content in 2012: A Future Forecast

2) Physical “embodied reality” technologies:

Accelerometers

Proximity sensors: RFID, e.g.

Geotracking and compass

3) Local “environmental reality” technologies: Shot codes GPS + Geocoded data Reality dashboards Mobile Content in 2012: A Future Forecast

3) Local “environmental reality” technologies:

Shot codes

GPS + Geocoded data

Reality dashboards

Social + Physical + Local = a persistent and pervasive web of play that constantly intersects with and enhances the everyday world around us Mobile Content in 2012: A Future Forecast

Social + Physical + Local =

a persistent and pervasive web of play that constantly intersects with and enhances the everyday world around us

Foresight

Multiplayer Mobile Scrabble ® : Today Pass + Play! Or… Wait + Play!

Multiplayer Mobile Scrabble ® : Tomorrow Can we better connect this game with reality?

Multiplayer Mobile Scrabble ® : Tomorrow FUTURE MOBILE SCRABBLE We need future play testers . If you are game, please stand up now !

Multiplayer Mobile Scrabble ® : Tomorrow COLLECT AND TRADE You have 60 seconds to make sure every player has a tile.

Multiplayer Mobile Scrabble ® : Tomorrow COLLABORATE You have 60 seconds to join forces with other players to spell the highest scoring word possible.

Multiplayer Mobile Scrabble ® : Tomorrow COMPETE Which team earned the most points?

Multiplayer Mobile Scrabble ® : Tomorrow RULE THE WORLD You have 60 seconds to spell out a command that the rest of the audience will have to immediately follow. (Surprise!)

Foresight  Insight

Foresight  Insight FUTURE PLAY Multi-player becomes Massively MP (connecting games + social reality)

FUTURE PLAY

Multi-player becomes Massively MP

(connecting games + social reality)

Foresight  Insight FUTURE PLAY 2) Mobile will meet Motion (connecting games + physical reality)

Foresight  Insight FUTURE PLAY 3) Escape turns to Engagement (connecting games + local reality)

Insight  Action

As a design exercise, repeat the “Future Scrabble” experiment. Imagine a future version of your most popular or promising content, enhanced by emerging mobile network technologies. How is it more social? How is it more physical? How is it more local? Insight  Action

Find your own signals -- Watch the leading-edge experimental 360 gaming space: argn.com comeoutandplay.org playareacode.com avantgame.com seriousgames.org Insight  Action

Finally, commit now to paying closer attention to current “ happiness gaps ” between virtual worlds and the real-world. These gaps, and the growing desire among gamers to fill them, present an extraordinary and not yet widely understood opportunity: Insight  Action

The opportunity to create innovative, life-changing mobile games. Insight  Action

Connecting Games + Reality Jane McGonigal, PhD Institute for the Future [email_address]