Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World

I loved this book. The case studies how the simple characteristics of game play can engage audiences to effectively solve problems. From crowd sourcing to CSR there are some really interesting approaches for brands and organizations. Originally I thought it would be focused on video gaming- it is not. It covers video gaming but the book is an authoritative look at all gaming. it was really helpful for any marketing or brand strategist.

After having watched Jane McGonical's TED Talk, I read this book and she is an utter delight. Her idea of play and introducing gaming concepts into life to level up in happiness helped me and my friends through my cancer diagnosis--- we made games out of oncology visits and intricate systems of leveling up. A blessing, Jane. Thank you!

This book changed what I believe about gaming and brought new understanding. Well-researched with sound thinking and a lot to offer especially for parents of gamers and those who care about what gaming is doing to us as a society (HINE: It's better than we think!).

Dr. Tracy Brower, Author of Bring Work to Life by Bringing Life to Work: A Guide for Leaders and Organizations

This book enlightened my mind, if you are a gamer, its a must read! It will show you the world of gaming if not a gamer, and how it has an effect on the world as a whole. As the title clearly states Reality is Broken.

I had quite a big expectations before reading this book as it is being considered as one of the fundamental books on gamification. Unfortunately this book is total disappointment. While reading I resisted multiple times to give up, but ultimately I forced myself to finish it. The biggest issue I have with this book is that for someone holding a hammer everything seems to be a nail. Don't get me wrong, I am all for gamification, but several ideas in this book are greatly oversimplified. Concept of Flow developed by Csikszentmihalyi although mentioned on few occasions, seems to be misunderstood. It is a greater framework into which gamification, as defined by McGonigal, falls. I see a moral problem when someone develops game of which primary goal is to improve kindness and civility, and in which the weapons to 'kill' the opponent is to show more politeness than the competitor. This is attempt to develop civility in wrong way. To external observer, a person seems to be caring and polite, but the hidden motive is to 'kill' and win. Overall the book is boring, there is lot of repetition and fluff. I think the concepts covered by the book could be written on twenty pages.

I really wanted to like this book. I heard McGonigal speak at SXSW in 2008 and thought she had an interesting perspective. Unfortunately, while she does seem to try to go outside of her social confines with her ideals and examples, they still resonate loudly in her rhetoric. You can't help but be who you are though, so I don't exactly fault her for that. I just wish the book was less about her and her efforts and more about the data to support her ideals.

Jane McGonigal has a problem: she has discovered reality is empty and boring. Meaning has been stripped from our world.
She is an excellent communicator and writer. +1 on both Jane!

Like Karl Marx who brilliantly identified how capitalism is broken, Jane points out how reality is broken. And she's absolutely right on every point! This is what makes this book necessary to read: from gamers, to theologians, from psychotherapists to NGO workers, we need to understand the problem first, and Jane lays it all out for us in clear crisp prose.

But like Marx, I think her solution(s) to the problem is misguided. At best, it will fail, at worst it will make reality more broken!
I agree with her, that people on coffee shops (especially in cities) are not genuinely nice and caring to each other.
However, to stealthily falsely compliment someone to gain points in an alternate reality game, so they and you feel happier, solves nothing. Feeling happier is not being happier. Fake random compliments cannot replace genuine compliments. Happy little games where we pretend to be nicer to each other does not put meaning back into existence. It's lipstick on a pig.

I believe Jane seeks real answers to reality's problems. Our secularized reductionist culture has failed her, and good on her for calling foul!

Jane needs to keep searching for answers. The starving Lydians she mentioned in the book (brilliant illustration by the way) distracted themselves with games, but they could not escape the reality they were still starving to death and needed to solve the food shortage.
I hope Jane is not too distracted by games to find the answers of her soul.

Having been around computers and games since I was 2, and having played online games from the start when I was 13, I can say that Jane McGonigal's description of the online world today's kids are growing up with is extremely accurate. When I sat down to write what soft skills I've picked up from all my years playing online games, I came up with a rather exhaustive list. It's astounding, regardless of the genre played (FPS, like Halo, MMOs like World of Warcraft).

Why do we find games so engaging, so engrossing? Many schools, businesses and the like are blaming 'addiction' to games for people tuning out. It goes far, far beyond simple 'addiction' (though problems do exist). Jane goes to great lengths to EXPLAIN the concepts of engagement this 'video game addiction' really consists of - and that schools, businesses and the greater community can and SHOULD learn from such an efficient, accessible use of these concepts to improve the quality of life for everyone in society.

This is a must read - particularly for any businessperson, teacher, parent, or gamer in the community.

My first time with a non-fiction audiobook. It actually kept my attention more than some works of fiction. My expectations were surpassed. I loved the information in the book, the narration was superb, good pacing. The only negative I can think of is that the packaging could have been a little better (All CDs in individual paper sleeves inside a cardboard box wedged in with a block of Styrofoam). Overall, I was impressed and would recommend the book and I'd also check out other titles by the audiobook publisher.

Video games are here to stay, and as a relatively new artistic medium, I think they can change the world. I agree with the author on this point, and how the author presents a well thought out and eloquent argument for the medium. Well done.

Eye-opening for digital immigrants. If you think video games are a waste of time and/or if you have children or grandchildren (digital natives) in your life, this is a must read. Powerful compliment to Average is Over and Race Against the Machine.

This book gave an incredibly descriptive account of the development of modern games and their increasing relevance as a tool to solve global-scale problems. Written by a knowledgable author, it challenges the reader to see gaming in a whole new perspective.

Awesome book! Jane made me believe we can utilize educational power of games and community of gamers for solving world-scale problems. The book gives many examples of diverse games applied to non-game contexts, moreover, it contains deep analysis and reflection on what makes humans happy and attracted to games. Enjoyed reading, would recommend to everyone.

The basic thesis that much good can be accomplished with suitable games is sound and awe inspiring. The examples are concrete and easy to understand. But they do not live up to the utopian goal that is set up.

I like the book fine. but find it VERY disappointing that this book does not have corresponding page numbers like the rest of mine do. reading this in a college class i need accurate page numbers not locations. i would return this and get a different copy if another offered page numbers.

I'm still going through it, but enjoying it much. I agree that a lot of resources are dedicated by gamers and our passion for gaming is obvious, so I'm really intrigued at learning what Jane proposes for channeling all that energy into projects that can be socially helpful as well as rewarding. I recommend the book to gamers not only of vídeo games but also of TCG, Board, RPGs and others.

I work a great deal with social networking on the web, but I've only played a few games. I picked up the book to learn about possible connections between social sites and games, particularly community oriented games. For this purpose, it's been a great book. It has a wonderful overview of what makes games powerful for community building along with qualities that make alternate reality games successful.

Gaming is commonly seen as a massive waste of time, but McGonigal wakes us up to the amazing level of training gamers have been undertaking for the past thirty years, training that could potentially be put to use in solving the world's most critical ecological, social, and political issues.

Games can transform our lives now, as well as making the world a better place in the future - all this on a much larger scale than you can imagine. You'll appreciate why so many people love gaming and the amazing skills they are developing.

Anyone with a smidgen of creative imagination will be intrigued with the possibilities for games with or without computers. Jane presents her ideas that primes your creative process......your mind grows with her. Great fun for young an old

Inspiring and universally applicable concepts. Clear and entertaining presentation. Has been instrumental in the development of my teaching philosophy and methodologies. Can't recommend it more highly.

Had a friend from a Media Psychology class suggest Jane McGonigal to me after seeing some of her lectures on YouTube. Very enlightening on her ideas on gamification in the world, and found it helpful in some research I was doing on the subject.

This is a well-written book, reasonably well organized and clear. But ultimately, it left me feeling just a little bit inspired, yet dissatisfied that I didn't feel like there is a clear or logical next step or action to implement the concepts in the book.

I've been alternating between "Reality is Broken" and "Actionable Gamification" (by Yu-Kai Chou), and I absolutely found the latter book to be much more useful.

Well written, entertaining, informative! Everyone needs to read this book! Great book club read! Will make you think and want to share your ideas! Will make you want to play more games and it could change your life!