My first resolution for the New Year is to start a blog on convergence of gaming and social networking. I’d like to call it gameworing. This area has been in the spotlight for the past few months, and deservedly so. As an illustration, 11% of all Facebook applications are games, which is the third largest application category on Facebook, behind “Just for Fun” and Sports. Not to mention that many of the “Just for Fun” apps are quasi-games.
So what’s the big deal about gameworking?
1. It’s huge. Everyone is an instant gameworker. You don’t need to spend much time learning a new set of rules and practicing a game, before you become proficient at it. So the learning curve is almost flat. And the barrier to fun is extremely low.
2. It’s pervasive. Social games are viral, because they are focused on friends and fun. They are not as addictive as MMOGs, but are a much better proxy for social interaction we all need. Low-level intensity at a constant pace is key.
3. It’s nascent and will grow in the years to come. Social networking has accelerated social games over the Internet. Think about how social games work in the real world: before you start playing a game, you get together with your friends at the same place. A social network does that automatically for you. So, you’ve removed the first barrier. All you need now is to ask your friends to play a game with you. And there is a plenty of friends to choose from.
Why will gameworing become even more pervasive in the future? It has to do with how our global lives evolve. Our attention span is becoming spottier than ever, we travel more and live more global lives, and we like keeping in touch with old friends. And isn’t there a better way to keep in touch than do something social and fun?
