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

[Jeff Murray]

Personally, I think Jonathan is spot on in what he's saying. I love the guy - he is the only 'celeb' game guy actually talking about this kind of stuff. I wish more celebs in games would consider the moral and social implications of the systems we take for granted!

Jeff


On 2011-02-15, at 4:31 PM, Lennard Feddersen wrote:


> Not fair taking Mr. Blow's statement out of context like that for a 2 word sound bite.

> 

> His point, read in context, is entirely valid.

> 

> Lennard Feddersen

> Owner, Rusty Axe Games,

> www.RustyAxe.com

> 250-635-7623

> 

> 

> On 15/02/2011 10:03 AM, oscar is oscar wrote:

>> 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/

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Jeff Murray
Founder, PsychicParrot Games

twitter @psychicparrot







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