Why we should take games seriously

Steven Johnson, author of
Everything Bad is Good for You, is back with more focused game-related commentary exploring what makes up a game, and why we should take games seriously, much as we might the early film industry.

For instance, games may lack the "storytelling prowess" of novels and films, but they can be appreciated for their gameplay systems and representations, much as architecture and environmental art are appreciated on their own merits.
Complex sims (like sequels to Black & White and The Sims) are also noted not only for their difficulty, but also for their "animated theories of how a given society works, whether it is ancient Rome or a modern metropolis."

From Grand Theft Auto's "satire of American inner-city culture – or, more precisely, suburban America's nightmare of inner-city culture" to "the economic strength of the gaming industry," Johnson concludes that "ignoring games means ignoring one of the most interesting and innovative cultural forms of our time." Acknowledging games (but reacting badly) can produce its own undesired side effects, however.