Video game designer Adrian Hon: ‘Companies and governments use games to control us’
Video game designer Adrian Hon: ‘Companies and governments use games to control us’
Video game designer Adrian Hon: ‘Companies and governments use games to control us’
By Jordi Pérez Colomé
December 09, 2022
Summary
Everything is data now Some people tell Hon that there's always been gamification.
"Gamified systems on social media are changing how and what people choose to post. It changes what I choose to post because I'm like, oh, 'I got this tweet. I should use lowercase letters because that makes it better.' People like me tweet it more and you just start changing your behavior based on the [feedback] We have only had this for, like 15 or 20 years. As it becomes more widespread and as we get augmented reality and virtual reality, then it will change our behavior even more," he adds.
Hon cites a 1989 study that highlights the rise of perfectionism among young people, which he believes fuels gamification.
"It's pretty new that people care about fitness like this. It's probably the last 50 years where people have an Apple Watch. People know what the heartbeat variability is. The goal is to try and optimize yourself." Ranking extends beyond work and physical activity to all facets of life: "If you just look unhealthier or haven't read as many of the good books, then you're going to go down the leaderboard," he explains.
Streaks are one of those gimmicks; people's minds push them to keep streaks going at any cost.
"There's nothing else they can do in the workplace besides play games." Moreover, Hon notes that it's also a mediocre solution to another problem at work: "If you have a workplace where employees are not working hard and they always seem miserable, what we should do is find a workplace that will make them happier, and they'll also work harder. I think that managers and owners are looking for a really easy way to change nothing at all about the job, or even just cut people's pay ," adds Hon.
The same will be true of the augmented reality glasses of the future: "It would be great to make a game that encourages people to pick up trash in the neighborhood [when using] the glasses. I just think that a lot of horrible things will also be gamified," says Hon.
Reference
Colomé, J. P. (2022, December 8). Video game designer Adrian Hon: 'companies and governments use games to control us'. EL PAÍS English Edition. Retrieved January 16, 2023, from https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2022-12-10/video-game-designer-adrian-hon-companies-and-governments-use-games-to-control-us.html