I’m watching The Colbert Report, where the guest is Dr. Ian Bogost of Persuasive Games, an organization that designs and distributes videogames intended for persuasion, activism, or instruction. From their site (www.persuasivegames.com):
“Our games influence players to take action through gameplay. Games communicate differently than other media; they not only deliver messages, but also simulate experiences. While often thought to be just a leisure activity, games can also become rhetorical tools.”
I’m fascinated by their claim that not only can games be used rhetorically, but that they offer distinctive forms of influence through experience.
And I can’t wait for some conversations in Harlot about the rhetorical potential–and actuality–of games of all sorts…
Check out this cool site about the cultural uses of videogames.