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Back to Design and Architecture

Design and Architecture

Life's a game

When game designer and philosopher Ian Bogost witnessed his young daughter making a game out of walking through the mall, he was inspired to question our approach to menial tasks. What if we could think of chores like sitting in traffic, grocery shopping, washing dishes the way we think of playing games -- as fun?

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By Frances Anderton • Feb 28, 2017 • 1 min read

When game designer and philosopher Ian Bogost witnessed his young daughter making a game out of walking through the mall, he was inspired to question our approach to menial tasks. What if we could think of chores like sitting in traffic, grocery shopping, washing dishes the way we think of playing games -- as fun? DnA talks to Bogost about his book Play Anything: The Pleasure of Limits, the Uses of Boredom, and the Secret of Games. And we ask, are there some tasks that should not be treated like games, like campaigning for, and occupying, the presidency?

The logo for Ian Bogost's game, Cow Clicker

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Frances Anderton

    architecture critic and author

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Frances Anderton

    architecture critic and author

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Avishay Artsy

    Producer, DnA: Design and Architecture

  • KCRW placeholder

    Ian Bogost

    contributing editor at The Atlantic; Ivan Allen College Distinguished Chair in Media Studies at the Georgia Institute of Technology

    Culture
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