[casual_games] Jonathan Blow interview: Do you believe social games are evil? “Yes. Absolutely.”

[oscar is oscar]

Wondering if anyone has an opinion on Mr. Blow's statement. See the
full article at the link below. ;)

<SNIP>
PC Gamer: About that lecture you gave recently. I wanted to ask you
about social games. And I know you don’t like that as a title.

Jonathan Blow: Did I say that in my speech actually?

PC Gamer: Well, you called them evil.

Jonathan Blow: No, I mean the name “social games.”

PC Gamer: I think you said you don’t like it being attributed to some
of those games?

Jonathan Blow: Well, they’re not very social. A game like World of
Warcraft or Counter-Strike or whatever is way more social. Because you
actually meet new people in clans or guilds. You go do activities
together and help each other out, right?

[With certain social games] it’s about the game exploiting your
friends list that you already made, so it’s not really about meeting
people. And it’s not really about doing things with them because
you’re never playing at the same time. It’s about using your friends
as resources to progress in the game, which is the opposite of actual
sociality or friendship. Maybe not exactly, but it’s not the same
thing, right? They’re really just called social games because they run
on social networks but they’re way less [social] – like sitting down
and playing a board game with friends at a party is a way more social
game. That’s an intensely social experience, right? So, like whatever.
I hate that name.

PC Gamer: Do you still think social games are “evil” then?

Jonathan Blow: Yes. Absolutely. There’s no other word for it except
evil. Of course you can debate anything, but the general definition of
evil in the real world, where there isn’t like the villain in the
mountain fortress, is selfishness to the detriment of others or to the
detriment of the world. And that’s exactly what [most of these games
are].
</SNIP>
http://www.pcgamer.com/2011/02/15/jonathan-blow-interview-social-game-designers-goal-is-to-degrade-the-players-quality-of-life/