Game designer, speaker, and writer Jane McGonigal, an unabashed advocate, argues that people who game extensively develop four useful characteristics: 1) urgent optimism—the desire to act immediately to tackle an obstacle, accompanied by the conviction that they can be successful; 2) enhanced sociability—research suggests that we like people better after we play a game with them, even if they’ve won, because playing a game together builds trust; 3) blissful productivity—we’re happier working hard to win than we are relaxing or goofing around; and 4) epic meaning—gamers love to be attached to
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