Reality Is Broken：Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World

VisionarygamedesignerJaneMcGonigalrevealshowwecanharnessthepowerofgamestosolvereal-worldproblemsandboostglobalhappiness.Morethan174millionAmericansaregamers,andtheaverageyoungpersonintheUnitedStateswillspendtenthousandhoursgamingbytheageoftwenty-one.Accordingtoworld-renownedgamedesignerJaneMcGonigal,thereasonforthismassexodustovirtualworldsisthatvideogamesareincreasinglyfulfillinggenuinehumanneeds.Inthisgroundbreakingexplorationofthepowerandfutureofgaming,McGonigalrevealshowwecanusethelessonsofgamedesigntofixwhatiswrongwiththerealworld.Drawingonpositivepsychology,cognitivescience,andsociology,RealityIsBrokenuncovershowgamedesignershavehitoncoretruthsaboutwhatmakesushappyandutilizedthesediscoveriestoastonishingeffectinvirtualenvironments.Videogamesconsistentlyprovidetheexhilaratingrewards,stimulatingchallenges,andepicvictoriesthataresooftenlackingintherealworld.Butwhy,McGonigalasks,shouldweusethepowerofgamesforescapistentertainmentalone?Herresearchsuggeststhatgamersareexpertproblemsolversandcollaboratorsbecausetheyregularlycooperatewithotherplayerstoovercomedauntingvirtualchallenges,andshehelpedpioneerafast-growinggenreofgamesthataimstoturngameplaytosociallypositiveends.InRealityIsBroken,sherevealshowthesenewalternaterealitygamesarealreadyimprovingthequalityofourdailylives,fightingsocialproblemssuchasdepressionandobesity,andaddressingvitaltwenty-first-centurychallenges-andsheforecaststhethrillingpossibilitiesthatlieahead.SheintroducesustogameslikeWorldWithoutOil,asimulationdesignedtobrainstorm-andthereforeavert-thechallengesofaworldwideoilshortage,andEvoke,agamecommissionedbytheWorldBankInstitutethatsendsplayersonmissionstoaddressissuesfrompovertytoclimatechange.McGonigalpersuasivelyarguesthatthosewhocontinuetodismissgameswillbeatamajordisadvantageinthecomingyears.Gamers,ontheotherhand,willbeabletoleveragethecollaborativeandmotivationalpowerofgamesintheirownlives,communities,andbusinesses.Writtenforgamersandnongamersalike,RealityIsBrokenshowsusthatthefuturewillbelongtothosewhocanunderstand,design,andplaygames.世界所有玩家花在《魔兽世界》上的总时间超过593万年，相当于从人类祖先第一次站起身来演进至今的时长；美国青年在21岁以前，玩游戏的平均时长超过10000小时，10000小时足以让他们成为专家；通过游戏，我们帮助他人改善生活，甚至解决能源危机。游戏，前所未有的占据和改变了我们的生活，它是如何击中了人类幸福的核心，提供现实世界中匮乏的奖励、挑战和宏大胜利的？《游戏改变世界》作者TED大会新锐演讲者简·麦戈尼格尔为我们揭开真相，游戏可以弥补现实世界的不足和缺陷，游戏化可以让现实变得更美好，并用大量实践告诉我们该如何驾驭游戏的力量，解决现实问题，并提升幸福感。《游戏改变世界》指出：游戏化是互联时代的重要趋势。游戏化将要实现四大目标：更满意的工作、更有把握的成功、更强的社会联系及更宏大的意义。如果人们继续忽视游戏，就会错失良机，失去未来。而如果我们可以借助游戏的力量，便可以让生活变得像游戏一样精彩！