What is a game?

“What is a game?” This is the question we were asked in our first lecture on “Playing the game”. The word “game” is used frequently in our everyday language and we all understand what we mean by it. So it’s not until you are asked to define it as accurately as possible that you realise how broad the term “game” is. There appears to be no precise boundaries in defining it.

Indeed, Wittgenstein observed that games don’t all share similar features but rather have overlapping similarities instead. He regarded the game to be like family resemblances. For instance, family members may share features such as similar eyes or hair but are not identical, as individuals may have different temperaments. Likewise, Wittgenstein believed the definition of the game has blurred edges. A good example of this is Desert Storm, Sims and online Bingo. These games are defined as a “game” and yet are all completely different, coming from very different genres.

Desert Storm for example, is a shooting game involving the player controlling the actions of an English soldier who is sent on different missions (which correspond to different levels) against the Iraq army. The aim of the game is to win the war. In brief, this game is not based on luck but skill at controlling the actions of the English soldier. In fact, this game involves competing against the videogame itself.

Sims is similar to Desert Storm in that it is a skill game with a competitive element. The game however involves controlling of peoples’ lives as successfully as possible. The skill in this game is being clever about the acquisitions you make and thinking about the family you have.

In contrast, Bingo online is based on luck with no skill involved, but it is still a competitive game because you are shown how many other players there are and given the option to buy in. No skill is required as the computer flags the numbers that have been called.

In short, the definition of a game is very broad and in fact is becoming wider with more types of games becoming available. The videogames mentioned above for example, did not exist twenty years ago. In fact, Poole (2000) goes so far as to state that the videogame has become part of the “cultural furniture” for our (my) generation. And I totally agree with this. I do not think that the stereotype of men being more interested in videogames is unfair but there are many women who enjoy them too. I, for example, enjoy the skill games (although this may have more to do with my competitive streak wanting to beat my dad). However, this brings me no nearer to defining exactly what is a game.

Bibliography
Poole, S. (2000) Trigger Happy, New York; Arcade Publishing.