Speaking to a roving crowd of 60,000 plus attendees at PAX, Jane McGonigal touched on the beneficial aspects of gaming in everyday life. No stranger to looking at a scientific perspective on such things, she said, “playing games is the single most productive thing we can do with our time."
Perhaps a few people would look at that with skepticism, but she maintains that the benefits are proven at this time. Even more harrowing to parents and bosses everywhere, she commented that gamers should increase time spent playing games from 3 billion hours to upwards of 21 billion.
“For years we’ve been told games bring out the worst of us, but is it possible what’s actually happening is that that games are bringing out the best in us?” queried McGonigal to the crowd.
Her discussion touched on the super powers that gaming gives each and every player, even citing studies where games helped increase focus, energy and emotions for gamers. “Gamers are out there every day being contagious vectors for positive emotions,” she noted.
Gamers are more likely to be emotionally positive in a gaming environment, giving them positive feelings in work and life. Translating that energy into the real world is the next step for gamers. She cited the adage that being happy is being successful, not the other way around.
“Games have been training us to do something extraordinary,” she offered. She only wishes to see gamers take up the call.
[Thanks Gamasutra]
1 Comments
March 11, 2011
Wow. Gaming evangelist. She must play lotsa games everyday.