Reality Is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World by Jane McGonigal

Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World is a book written by Jane McGonigal, one of the world’s leading authorities on video games and their effects. The book explores the idea that video games are not just a way to pass the time, but also a way to solve real-world problems. Through her research, she posits that gamers have untapped potential, and if harnessed correctly, gaming can have a huge impact on the world.

The book begins by exploring how gaming helps gamers discover their own strengths and weaknesses. Through gaming, McGonigal argues, gamers are afforded an opportunity to test their skills and learn from failures in a low-stress environment. She believes that this ability to try, fail, and adjust is a valuable learning experience that can be applied to other aspects of life.

McGonigal then explores the idea that gaming has a positive impact on learning and performance. According to her research, she found that games can help gamers learn new skills and improve on existing ones. She finds that gamers have better problem solving, creative thinking, and cooperation abilities when compared to those that don’t game.

In the book, McGonigal dives into the idea of “gamification” – the concept of applying game elements to non-gaming activities to motivate and engage individuals. She argues that the same techniques used in video games can be applied to many other aspects of life, such as education and the workplace. In these non-gaming applications, these game elements can help motivate people and make their activities more engaging.

Finally, McGonigal dives into how gaming can help society by solving real-world problems. She suggests that gaming can have a positive and lasting effect on issues such as poverty, climate change, and global health. Through online gaming, gamers can cooperate to tackle issues in a way that traditional approaches can’t.

In sum, Reality is Broken is an informative book that examines the potential of gaming and the ways in which it can not just benefit gamers, but the world as a whole. She argues that gaming can help people learn, improve performance, and even tackle real-world problems. In such a way, McGonigal believes that gaming can be a powerful tool for positive change.