One thing I didn’t see (but could have missed), are the two grand archetypes of games:
- finite games
- infinite games
The former have rules for winning and a clear beginning and end.
Infinite games are those where the purpose is not to end the game by winning, but to continue playing indefinitely. Players want to perpetuate play itself. There’s no fixed roster (players can join at any time, number of players can change). Rules are changeable and exist to ensure the game continues. When rules threaten to end the game, they get modified. Boundaries are fluid and can expand or contract as needed to keep play alive.
One thing I didn’t see (but could have missed), are the two grand archetypes of games:
- finite games
- infinite games
The former have rules for winning and a clear beginning and end.
Infinite games are those where the purpose is not to end the game by winning, but to continue playing indefinitely. Players want to perpetuate play itself. There’s no fixed roster (players can join at any time, number of players can change). Rules are changeable and exist to ensure the game continues. When rules threaten to end the game, they get modified. Boundaries are fluid and can expand or contract as needed to keep play alive.