Persuasive Games: the expressive Power of videogames

As this is the inaugural issue of the International Journal of Gaming and Computer-Mediated Simulations it is appropriate to start with a work that attempts to provide a theoretical framework for how and why videogames can move and influence people’s lives. The question of how well Bogost achieves this goal depends upon the audience. While Bogost’s thesis is ripe for a mainstream discussion, the emphasis on traditional theory and the creation of a theoretical framework limit the book’s accessibility. Bogost’s thesis that videogames use processes to effectively communicate ideas and persuade those exposed to them (procedural rhetoric) is a critical explanation of how and why videogames communicate ideas in a variety of settings. While the focus on theory may put off those who watched Bogost’s 2007 appearance on Comedy Central’s Cobert Report, his work is significant to academics in various fields. The text itself also has limited use for game designers due to its’ focus on theory. For designers, Bogost provides little in terms of “how to” but provides a various examples to support why games can be effective tools. Bogost’s text is best suited for academics and researchers seeking explanations of how videogames change players’ ideas and thoughts through the experience of playing. Due to Bogost’s communication background, Persuasive Games is more valuable to those outside of the game studies fields. The theory framework and practical examples Bogost provides creates a strong explanation and support for the power of games that academics and researchers in traditional disciplines can understand and apply. Bogost’s is an Associate Professor in the School of Literature, Communication, and Culture at Georgia Institute of Technology, and his communication scholarship is evident in this work. He begins the text with a discussion using his discipline to set up the theories around rhetorical communication. This foundation in communication theory establishes his work as a scholarly discussion. Bogost uses his communication framework to launch a discussion about how videogames can not only teach and influence, but also to create a rhetorical framework (procedural literacy) to discuss game analysis from. Bogost’s focus throughout his survey is the creation, application, and importance of how games influence players by putting them Book Review Persuasive Games: the expressive Power of videogames