2040: An American Insurgency

UPDATE: Back the game here: 2040 Kickstarter This game simulates an American civil war in the year 2040. There is also a free version suitable for classroom exercises.

Now Available: The Game About AA

Since 2018 I’ve had a free print and play game about alcoholism on this site. I made it into a real board game, available now at Game Crafter. The game is priced at cost; no profit is earned from sales.

Game of Life: Who Wins?

Podcast with Grant Martsolf of the Beatrice Institute, talking about my most recent book, Life is a Game. Wide-ranging conversation on games, life, God, technology, and society. https://beatriceinstitute.org/ted-castronova-episode

Why Gamification Fails: A Parable

What happens when you try to exploit the engagement energy of games without respecting the features that make them engaging.

Announcing VIRUS: A Pandemic Disaster Response Simulation for 36-108 Players

I made a game to help organizations respond to things like COVID-19. It’s being offered for free as my contribution to the crisis. This is a simulation of a virus pandemic attacking a US state. Players play all the critical roles: Governor, National Guard, Police Chiefs, Doctors, FEMA, CDC, and the President. Solid takeaways and very engaging too. See inside for details on running it for your group.