Persuasive Games: The Expressive Power of Videogames

Games differ from other media by being procedural, interactive systems that have some media-specific ways of meaning-making.

“games differ from other media by being procedural, interactive systems that have some media-specific ways of meaning-making (see e.g., Bogost, 2007; Kücklich, 2002; Wardrip-Fruin, 2009).”

Processes guide their actions and weigh their options in certain ways.

“Processes guide their actions and weigh their options in certain ways.”

The processes of the game are not neutral, but contain values and persuade the player to see the world in a certain light.

“The processes of the game are not neutral, but contain values and persuade the player to see the world in a certain light.”

The systems of games are not neutral, but necessarily provide a certain perspective to things.

“these systems are not neutral, but necessarily provide a certain perspective to things (e.g., Bogost, 2007, p. 45; Wardrip-Fruin, 2009, pp. 4-5).”

Users acting upon processes are also acted upon by those same processes.

“Users acting upon processes are also acted upon by those same processes.”

The processes of the game guide the player towards some and away from other actions and choices in a manner described by procedural rhetoric.

“The processes of the game guide the player towards some and away from other actions and choices in a manner described by procedural rhetoric (Bogost, 2007).”

One way games express ideas is through the rhetoric of failure.

“One of the ways this works is through what Bogost (2007, p. 85) calls the rhetoric of failure:”

Videogames can make claims about how things don't work through procedural rhetorics.

“If procedural rhetorics function by operationalizing claims about how things work, then videogames can also make claims about how things don't work. (italics in the original)”

The rhetoric of failure works by creating situations that cannot be solved or won.

“The rhetoric of failure works by creating situations that cannot be solved or won.”

Because of their procedural and interactive nature, games work best when expression uses these features instead of going against them.

“Because of the procedural and interactive nature of games, they work best when the expression tries to use these features instead of going against them (cf. Bogost, 2007, pp. 44-46).”