What is a Game? Part One: People are Games

Many people believe that before discussion about games begins, you need to have a definition of what a game is. While I agree that it is important to have a solid foundation before progressing, and it is vital that there is an understanding of what is being discussed, I disagree on the need for a definition.

In fact, I believe that you cannot define what is a game. You know a game when you see one. When you see something, you can say "that is a game" or "that is not a game", but to define what all games are or are not is impossible. As a creative medium, and as a form of expression, what makes a game is partially defined by the individual. Something that you would call a game I might not call a game.

Is tic-tac-toe a game? In my opinion, it depends on who is playing. The game has been solved, which means that the "correct" way to play is known. If the players know the solution, the result of the game is already decide, and the player's don't matter. However, children who don't know the solution still have choices to make. For them, it is a game.

Is baseball a game? It definitely doesn't have a solution, but I still believe that it depends on the players. If I'm playing in my backyard with friends, yeah, its a game. Little League, sure still a game. Red Sox against the Yankees? At this point, I believe that it is no longer a game. In my opinion, a game is played primarily for entertainment, so once a game is played professionally, in that context it is no longer a game.

Is hitting someone with a stick a game? Most of the time, probably not. But it can be, even without rules. The mock dueling that I practiced in my youth with my neighbors was a game. Most people would say, that even with the guidelines we applied, it was mostly just hitting each-other with sticks.

What I'm getting at, and that I feel is the important foundation for my discussions is that games are experiential. This may seem obvious, but it needs to be said. Games change person to person. While game design is often treated as a science, games are like writing, music or art. They are dependent upon both the creator and the user. You know what a game is when you see it. I know what a game is when I see it. But we might not agree. Its what people do.