Second Playthrough

Series

Five questions, asked again and again

Every essay belongs to one of five series. Each series returns to one question, from a different game or idea every time.

  1. 01Art, Media, IndustryWhat can games say, and what shapes what they are allowed to say?Games as an art form, as one medium among many, and as an industry that decides what gets made.0 essays
  2. 02Ultimate ExperiencesWhat makes this experience possible only as a game?The landmark games that push the medium to its limit, and what makes them impossible anywhere else.0 essays
  3. 03Beyond EntertainmentWhat is left of a game when its purpose is not fun?Serious games, educational games, simulations and gamification, and what happens when a game's purpose is not fun.1 essay
  4. 04The Game in All of TheseWhere is the game in this, and who wrote its rules?The rules, goals and feedback hiding in work, school, apps and institutions that do not call themselves games.1 essay
  5. 05Categories and ClassificationHow do we describe what a game actually is, without leaning on a label that no longer means anything?Genres, labels and taxonomies, why words like "RPG" stop meaning anything, and how to describe games precisely.1 essay