Gaming Archives

Economics

On Vegas Strip, Blackjack Rule Change Is Sleight of Hand

Casino operators are changing blackjack payouts to give the house an even greater advantage. Is this a sign that Vegas is on its way back from the recession, or that the Strip’s biggest players are trying to squeeze some more cash out of visitors before the well runs dry?

Chris Opfer

Social Justice

Zombie-Infested Virtual World Reveals Our Ethical Blind Spots

Players of an online survival game expressed guilt for killing, but less so for non-lethal actions that would result in a character’s death.

Tom Jacobs

Economics

Virtual Economies Are the Future of Consumption

You know the $21 billion mobile gaming industry you contributed to by purchasing the latest iteration of Angry Birds? Look to it for clues about how we’ll soon consume all digital content.

Kyle Chayka

Social Justice

Boom & Bust: We’re on the Brink of the Biggest Change in Gaming Since the Introduction of the Atari 2600

As part of our week-long series on booms and busts, Jamie Wiebe considers the contenders for the casual gaming crown. Since the early days of Nintendo, the games you play have been secondary to the systems you play them on. And now, the options seem limitless.

Jamie Wiebe

Economics

How Are ‘Flappy Bird’ and ‘Candy Crush’ Still Making So Much Money?

A closer look at the app economy.

Kyle Chayka

Economics

How Cheating (and Duffle Bags of Gold) Got Me a First-Class Flight to London

There are countless ways to game the airline miles system, but does that mean you should take advantage?

Aaron Gordon

Economics

Get Plenty of Sleep Before Imitating Rock Gods

Paper reveals that players of a popular video game increase their performance when they've had a full night of rest.

Matt Palmquist

Economics

Video Games and Aggression: Context Matters

Assuming the role of a violent policeman in a video game softens one’s judgment of police brutality in real life.

Tom Jacobs

Social Justice

Video Games Linked to Aggression

A newly published meta-analytic review states emphatically that players of violent video games are at greater risk of engaging in aggressive behavior.

Tom Jacobs

News in Brief

Solving the World’s Problems With a Joystick

The people behind the burgeoning field of serious games aim both to get people to care about solving world problems while learning that all answers have their consequences.

Ken Stier