Taming Play: A Map of Play Ideologies, from Moral Panic to Gamification

This paper addresses the question whether it is really possible to use play and games for non-playful means. In order to answer this question, a map of the different ideologies of play is drawn, starting from the idea that play is something silly and unimportant to the more hostile reactions towards games portrayed as dangerous, to the enthusiastic idea – linked to gamification – of using play in every situation in order to boost engagement and participation. These ideologies are then situated around a semiotic square based on their attitude towards play and it is suggested that a fourth position may exist, less easy to handle but possibly more objective.