Abstract

Games for learning are often oriented towards normative school curricula and do not engage players beyond simple reward systems, but there are other ways to think about play that are deeper, more robust, and more meaningful. As potential sites for critically-minded, openended play, alternate reality games float in discursive space between game and not-game, creating environments for meaningful play that transcend current frameworks of education through games and create the potential for truly liberating play. This paper lays the foundation for the praxis of games for liberation, building from contemporary research and theory from fields in both games and education.

• Cayden Mak,USA bodywithout.org/cv