persuasive
Latest
Wii Fit pad similar to 25-year-old Atari accessory
While the mainstream press gets ready to crown Nintendo the innovator of fresh new gaming technology, Water Cooler Games points out the Wii Fit balance pad isn't as revolutionary as some may think. Way back in 1982 (yes, the same year Michael Jackson unleashed Thriller), Persuasive Games released a balance board accessory for the Atari VCS called the Joyboard. Only one game supported the peripheral: a ski jumping title called Mogul Maniac, and the technology wasn't nearly as advanced as the Wii Fit pad. The idea was there, however, Nintendo just came along with its magic touch and made it ten times better.[Thanks, Vlad]
NY Times now publishing Persuasive's newsgames
The New York Times has begun publishing Persuasive's newsgames on the opinion page of their website. Currently, a title called Food Import Folly can be found under the Times Select heading.As Persuasive founder Ian Bogost note, this move by the New York Times is unprecedented. "I think it represents another important shift in videogames as a medium ... The fact that the Times is often considered the national newspaper of record makes this moment even more notable, and gratifying," he said.Indeed, exposure to serious games on the face of such a prestigious and prominent publication marks a bold step for games as an interactive medium. Can games be used as editorial much in the way political cartoons convey their message in a noninteractive manner? Bogost recently discussed such a topic at this year's Living Game Worlds conference.In Food Import Folly, players "protect the United States from contaminants found in foreign food imports." Previous newsgames by the developer had been published by Addicting Games and Shockwave under the series name The Arcade Wire.
