People sometimes question to what degree games affect us. Probably most people accept the idea of stories deeply touching our lives, so it shouldn't surprise us when games do the same. You see, games activate huge areas of our brains. What is a story? In its simplest form, it has a beginning, middle and end. Games do exactly that. The player themselves are the main character, and discover incredibly sympathetic feelings during the course of gameplay. Story blooms from the interaction between player and game.
The world is still reeling from the massive success of Pokémon GO. I think it's fair to say nobody saw it coming. Sure, the concept is to get people out and active, socializing, and interacting beyond the game itself. I won't dwell on the misuse of these interactions, but it does exist (the game being played in the real world could hardly prevent it). Focusing on the positives, Pokémon GO has indeed taken gamers out of their bedrooms and into the world, racing about to capture creatures and gyms with fanatical eagerness.
Playing games activates our brains, our bodies, and our lives. The stories players develop can last a lifetime. I still love meeting friends and talking about games we played and the stories we created while we played. As we talk, the experiences rush back into the present and we mutually relive them. To me, that's the best part of playing games with others.
Remember, stories don't have to only be in books and movies. Games are stories too.
- M
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