2020 Games for Change Virtual Festival

What makes a game healthy or unhealthy? How does game design contribute to determining if a community becomes toxic or vibrant? Multiplayer online games fulfill an important need for players to experience feelings of empowerment and connection. They can be incredibly powerful, because in real space, many people are increasingly suffering from a lack of both of these things. We will look at how interaction in social gaming has evolved and examine the factors that have driven this evolution, and explore ways that game design can promote healthy and positive online communities.