What is this?

It is a website specifically designed by the Institute for the Future of the Book as a way of sharing my book, Gamer Theory version 2.0. This is more or less the edition of the book published by Harvard University Press. It’s open for comments, discussion, for class projects, for any civil discourse around it that you may choose.

Why would I be interested?

You might be interested if you play computer games. I want to advance our understanding of games as a major media form.

Where are the cheats and walkthroughs?

It’s not that kind of a site. Look somewhere else for those. I am interested rather in how people feel about gameplay, and what people take games to mean.

So what is there to do here?

You can read and comment on Gamer Theory. I would like to know what you think and will check back from time to time to read and respond to comments.

You can also start your own discussions on the games I chose to write about, or talk about the sensation of gameplay and the meaning of gameplay more generally.

You left out [insert name of your favorite game here]?!!

Maybe because unlike you I didn’t like it. Or couldn’t find anything to say about it. These not a top ten list of games or anything like that. They are just games I thought interesting both to play and think about.

If I post comments here will they end up in your book (the printed one)?

Not without your permission. I would like to include insights and ideas from readers, but I will always ask first and you will always be credited.

Why give the book away free if you want to sell it later?

It’s an experiment to test the theory that if you make a gift out of something people feel better disposed towards it.

How is the material on this site licensed?

Everything, my book, your comments, is Creative Commons licensed. You may reproduce it for noncommercial purposes, so long as it is properly attributed.

Who the hell are you anyway?

I teach media studies at The New School, in New York. My last book was called A Hacker Manifesto.

What is the Institute for the Future of the Book?

Best to ask them that: about the institute.