Game Changers: The Role of Play in Transforming Society

13 years ago, when I still had a dream of creating 3D animated films as a career, I was working toward two degrees during my undergrad at UT Dallas. One of those degrees, was in the ATEC program where I was introduced to the brilliant ideas of Game Designer, Jane McGonigal. Exposure to these ideas changed my world view and how I perceived games.

Jane McGonigal’s thesis revolves around the idea that "reality is broken", the namesake of one of her more recent books, because our modern world does not offer enough opportunities for meaningful engagement, problem-solving, and social interaction. In contrast, games—especially well-designed ones—offer clear goals, immediate feedback, and a sense of achievement that many people find lacking in their everyday lives. According to McGonigal, the joy and satisfaction that players experience in games can be redirected to tackle real-world issues, from improving mental health to enhancing education, and even solving global crises like climate change.

McGonigal emphasizes several key ways in which games can improve society:

1. Building Social Connections: Many games, especially multiplayer ones, foster teamwork and collaboration. In games, individuals work together to overcome obstacles and achieve shared goals, strengthening social bonds and improving communication.

2. Developing Problem-Solving Skills: Games challenge players to think critically, adapt strategies, and solve complex problems, skills that are transferable to real-life situations.

3. Enhancing Mental Health: Games provide a sense of agency and control, which can be particularly valuable for individuals struggling with stress or anxiety. The emotional rewards of gameplay, such as achievement and mastery, boost resilience and well-being.

4. Creating a Sense of Purpose: Games offer players meaningful goals and clear objectives, which McGonigal argues is something modern life often lacks. This sense of purpose is crucial for long-term satisfaction and motivation.

McGonigal’s ideas are grounded in the belief that the principles of game design can be applied to non-gaming contexts, allowing people to engage in more meaningful and satisfying activities in their everyday lives. This is where improv games provide an intriguing parallel.

Like video games, improv games are built around a set of rules and goals that structure human interaction. However, instead of being played in a virtual world, improv games take place in a live, social environment. These games encourage participants to collaborate spontaneously, think on their feet, and engage with others in a safe, low-stakes context. The result is a type of play that not only fosters creativity but also builds trust, empathy, and communication skills.

One of the key features of improv is the concept of “Yes, And,” which is the principle that participants must accept and build upon whatever is offered to them by their scene partners. This principle fosters active listening, collaboration, and co-creation—skills that are essential for problem-solving and teamwork, both in games and in real-world settings.

Incorporating McGonigal’s ideas into the context of improv, we can see the following societal benefits:

1. Fostering Social Bonds: Just as multiplayer video games bring people together, improv games create a sense of community and connection. The collaborative nature of improv requires participants to support each other, fostering trust and mutual respect.

2. Promoting Creative Problem-Solving: Improv games are all about solving problems in the moment, without pre-planning or scripting. This aligns closely with McGonigal’s emphasis on games as vehicles for honing critical thinking and adaptability. The skills participants develop in improv—thinking on their feet, working collaboratively, and embracing uncertainty—are directly applicable to real-world challenges.

3. Improving Mental Health: Like video games, improv games offer a break from the pressures of reality, providing a space where participants can explore new roles and scenarios without fear of judgment. Improv has been used as a therapeutic tool to reduce anxiety, build confidence, and enhance emotional resilience. The cathartic nature of improv allows individuals to express themselves and release tension, similar to the emotional rewards McGonigal associates with gameplay.

4. Creating Meaning and Purpose: In improv, participants co-create scenes and stories, giving them a sense of ownership and agency in the narrative. This mirrors McGonigal’s belief that games give players a sense of purpose through clear goals and achievable outcomes. In improv, the process of building something collaboratively provides its own form of purpose and satisfaction.

By examining McGonigal’s thesis through the lens of improv, we can see that both types of games offer unique but complementary benefits. While video games provide immersive, digital environments for structured play and problem-solving, improv games bring these same benefits into the physical and social world. Both forms of play serve to strengthen social bonds, enhance creativity, and promote mental well-being. However, improv games add the dimension of face-to-face interaction, which is especially valuable in today’s increasingly digital world.

McGonigal’s vision of using game design to solve real-world problems can be applied to improv as well. In improv-based training, for instance, businesses and organizations use games to improve communication, collaboration, and leadership skills. These applications show how both video and improv games can be structured to improve not only individual well-being but also organizational and societal function.

Jane McGonigal’s groundbreaking work on the power of games to improve society offers a new perspective on the role of play in human life. By expanding her framework to include improv games, we can see that the core benefits of gaming—social connection, problem-solving, and mental well-being—extend beyond the digital realm and into the world of live, collaborative play.

Improv, with its emphasis on spontaneity, creativity, and teamwork, offers a unique set of tools for addressing societal challenges, from improving mental health to fostering community engagement. Together, video games and improv games represent powerful vehicles for personal and societal transformation, offering us new ways to connect, create, and collaborate.

References:

• McGonigal, Jane. Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World. Penguin Books, 2011.

• Johnstone, Keith. Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre. Routledge, 1979.

• Sawyer, R. Keith. Explaining Creativity: The Science of Human Innovation. Oxford University Press, 2012.

• Halpern, Charna, et al. Truth in Comedy: The Manual of Improvisation. Meriwether Publishing, 1994.