It's looking like that – total world domination for, of all things, Angry Birds (quite serendipitously to continue my bird theme this week [see this on red-tailed hawks]). Signs of approaching world domination: 1. Google has adopted Angry Birds, er, adapted their game for the Web via its Chrome browser, the Washington Post reports, adding that the game already runs on Android and Windows … [Read more...] about Angry Birds: Future ‘total world domination’?
online games
Gaming for the Japan relief effort
Buy a certain virtual crop in Farmville or building in Cityville and – with the help of Save the Children and the Red Cross – your money goes to Japan earthquake relief, EngageDigital.com reports. "Social games can deploy charity items rapidly in response to disasters." Zynga (via its Farmville and Cityville games) started in mid-March. Sony Online Entertainment started its relief effort in late … [Read more...] about Gaming for the Japan relief effort
McGonigal’s latest game for social change
What a concept: Engage players in a "real world" quest that brings them together at a famous institution to kick off an online game for social change – not just game-changing but aiming to be world-changing (or to help players be change agents). Quest #1: If you're 18+ and want to be one of the first 500 people to play Find the Future, go on the "overnight adventure of a lifetime," and write a … [Read more...] about McGonigal’s latest game for social change
Can this be played in school? Please?
I'm asking you, educators. EVOKE sounded amazing, when I heard it described by game designer Jane McGonigal on NPR's Science Friday the other day. The goal of this free social game is to "help empower people all over the world to develop creative solutions to urgent social problems" – beyond "mere" civic engagement to social problem-solving. Of course EVOKE isn't the only social-media teaching … [Read more...] about Can this be played in school? Please?
Fresh data on tweens’ media use
A whopping 90% of US 9-to-12-year-olds play online games, according to a just-released survey by M2 Research. Broken down by gender, 91% of tween boys and 93% of tween girls play games online, M2 says. The survey of 5,000 children and teens nationwide also found that Facebook is now the favorite Web site among boys 8-11 and girls 12-15 (Facebook's minimum age is 13 – see this earlier post of mine … [Read more...] about Fresh data on tweens’ media use