Gaming can make a better world | Jane McGonigal

Summary

Jane McGonigal, a renowned game designer, envisions a future where gaming is a powerful tool for solving real-world problems. She proposes that the collective 3 billion hours spent weekly on online games is insufficient and should be increased to 21 billion hours to address urgent global issues. McGonigal highlights the positive attributes of gamers, such as 'urgent optimism' and 'blissful productivity,' and shares her experiences creating games like 'World Without Oil' and 'Superstruct' that inspire collaborative problem-solving. She calls for a global engagement in games that can drive social innovation and change, aiming to make the world a better place.

Takeaways

• 🎮 Jane McGonigal, a game designer, believes that games have the potential to solve real-world problems and aims to make saving the world as easy as saving the world in online games.
• 🕹️ Despite spending three billion hours a week on online games, McGonigal argues that this is not enough and suggests we need 21 billion hours of gameplay weekly to address global issues.
• 🚀 Games like World of Warcraft are highlighted as environments that inspire 'epic wins', fostering a sense of optimism, collaboration, and the ability to tackle difficult challenges.
• 🤔 McGonigal contrasts the 'I'm Not Good At Life' face often seen in real life with the intense concentration and optimism of a gamer on the verge of an epic win, suggesting games make us feel more capable and motivated.
• 🧠 Her research indicates that gamers develop four key strengths: urgent optimism, social fabric creation, blissful productivity, and the pursuit of epic meaning.
• 🌐 The potential of gamers as a resource is enormous, with 500 million people already virtuoso gamers, and the industry预计 to add another billion in the next decade.
• 🌱 McGonigal's games, such as 'World Without Oil' and 'Superstruct', are designed to channel the skills and mindset of gamers towards real-world challenges like oil dependency and global extinction.
• 🏆 'World Without Oil' was a pioneering game that engaged players in imagining and adapting to an oil shortage, leading to lasting behavioral changes post-game.
• 🌟 'Superstruct' engaged thousands in creating innovative solutions for humanity's survival, demonstrating the power of games to generate collective intelligence.
• 🌍 The game in collaboration with the World Bank Institute aims to certify players as Social Innovators, encouraging social entrepreneurship in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.

Q & A

Who is Jane McGonigal and what is her profession?

Jane McGonigal is a game designer with ten years of experience in creating online games.

What is Jane McGonigal's goal for the next decade?

Her goal is to make it as easy to save the world in real life as it is to save the world in online games.

How many hours does Jane McGonigal believe we need to spend playing games weekly to solve the world's most urgent problems?

Jane McGonigal believes we need to increase our weekly game play to 21 billion hours.

What does Jane McGonigal think is the emotion captured in Phil Toledano's photograph of a gamer?

The emotion captured is a sense of urgency, fear, intense concentration, and the gamer is on the verge of an 'epic win'.

What is an 'epic win' according to Jane McGonigal?

An 'epic win' is an extraordinarily positive outcome that was previously unimaginable until achieved, revealing one's true capabilities.

Why does Jane McGonigal believe that games are essential for the future survival of the human species?

Games are essential because they inspire optimism, collaboration, and the motivation to tackle difficult problems, which are critical for overcoming future challenges.

What is the 'I'm Not Good At Life' face that Jane McGonigal refers to?

The 'I'm Not Good At Life' face is a representation of the feelings of inadequacy and failure that people often experience in real life, contrasting with the confidence and success they feel in games.

What are the four superpowers that Jane McGonigal believes gamers possess?

The four superpowers are urgent optimism, the ability to weave a tight social fabric, blissful productivity, and the desire for epic meaning.

How does Jane McGonigal's game 'World Without Oil' encourage real-life behavior change?

The game 'World Without Oil' encourages players to live their real lives as if an oil shortage is happening, promoting sustainable habits and behaviors.

What is the premise of the game 'Superstruct' and what did players create?

In 'Superstruct', players were tasked with inventing the future of various sectors because humans had only 23 years left on Earth. They came up with 500 creative solutions for survival.

What is the purpose of the game Jane McGonigal is launching in partnership with the World Bank Institute?

The purpose of the game is to teach social innovation skills to players, particularly young people in developing areas, empowering them to start social enterprises to address global issues.