Jane McGonigal has a vision. She says that gamers can change the world. Why? They like to go on epic missions. They are focused. They are socially connected (in a virtual sense).They have a sense of urgent optimism and blissfull productivity.
All we need is to get them out of the virtual world, and into the real world. But can gamers really save the world?
We went to UC Berkeley campus to asks students and educators what they thought.
Massive Multiplayer Online Games are are taking in billions of dollars in revenue and have millions of players all over the world. The following map charts the growth of MMOG's in the US, Europe, South Korea, and China.
How much time do players spend in the virtual world? Source: Teens, Video Games and Civics, a 2008 report of The Pew Internet and American Life Project.
Can video games bring out qualities that are inherent in civic participation? Source: Teens, Video Games and Civics, a 2008 report of The Pew Internet and American Life Project.
Here are some links to video game projects with a civic participation angle: