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

[Bernard François]

I just noticed an article about this on the blog of EDGE, with some
more opinions of people from our industry:
http://www.next-gen.biz/news/gdc-2011-are-social-games-legitimate

Bernard

--- --- --- --- --- ---
M: + 32 478 92 00 71
E: bernard.francois at previewlabs.com
W: www.previewlabs.com
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I'll be attending The Festival of Games April 28-29 in The
Netherlands. Please contact me if you want to make an appointment.

On Tue, Feb 15, 2011 at 11:17 PM, Jeff Murray
<jeff at psychicparrotgames.com> wrote:

> 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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