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You'Ve Been Played

How Corporations, Governments and Schools Use Games to Control Us All
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
You've Been Played by Adrian Hon explores the impact of game mechanics on society, illustrating how these elements are used beyond entertainment to influence behaviour in everyday life and industries. The book provides insights into how gamification tactics can both shape and manipulate our choices, often without our awareness.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you're intrigued by the influence of gamification on various aspects of modern life and curious about the implications of technology-driven engagement. The author, Adrian Hon, offers insights into how game principles are used in settings beyond entertainment and the potential consequences of such practices on individuals and society.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

How games are being harnessed as instruments of exploitation - and what we can do about it.

Warehouse workers pack boxes while a virtual dragon races across their screen. If they beat their colleagues, they get an award. If not, they can be fired. Uber presents exhausted drivers with challenges to keep them driving. China scores its citizens so they behave well, and games with in-app purchases use achievements to empty your wallet.

Points, badges and leaderboards are creeping into every aspect of modern life. In You've Been Played, game designer Adrian Hon delivers a blistering takedown of how corporations, schools and governments use games and gamification as tools for profit and coercion. These are games that we often have no choice but to play, where losing has heavy penalties.

You've Been Played is a scathing indictment of a tech-driven world that wants to convince us that misery is fun, and a call to arms for anyone who hopes to preserve their dignity and autonomy.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

You've Been Played is praised for being an addictive and thought-provoking exploration of gamification's pervasive influence on modern life. Reviewers commend Adrian Hon's ability to illuminate how games and gamified systems impact our perceptions and daily interactions. The book is described as both fascinating and dismal, with intelligent suggestions for addressing its challenges, offering valuable insights into the competitive nature of contemporary culture.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781800751996

Publisher: Swift Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 21 September 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Swift Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 304

About the Author

Adrian Hon is the CEO and founder of games developer Six to Start. He is the co-creator of Zombies, Run, an immersive running game with 10 million players. Adrian previously studied neuroscience at the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford, and the University of California at San Diego. He is the author of A History of the Future in 100 Objects, a columnist for EDGE magazine and has written about technology for the Daily Telegraph. He lives in Edinburgh, UK.

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