Anxiety, Openness, and Activist Games:A Case Study for Critical Play

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Authors:	Flanagan Mary
	Lotko Anna
Source:	Breaking New Ground: Innovation in Games, Play, Practice and Theory
	London: Brunel University, September, 2009
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Abstract:

This paper explores the boundaries of social issues or‘activist’ games with a case study on a popular gamereleased in 2009 which fosters a critical type of play amongthe audience. We assess the game’s public reception tobetter understand how contradictory play elements led to ananxiety of ambiguity during open play. Borrowing from the“poetics of open work,” we will demonstrate how the mostpowerful play experience in activist games result from anew relationship formed between the audience and theplayer through mechanics, subject position, representation,and content.

Keywords: Computer games , Casual games, Values, Politics, SocialIssues, Method