Fun Inc.: Why games are the 21st Century's most serious business - Tapa blanda

"A lively, thought-provoking and thoughtful read on an entertainment juggernaut many of us have failed to properly recognise. A good book, too, for parents, who might feel far more comfortably informed about a sector that can come across as - literally - an alien world their kids inhabit." (The Irish Times)

"A detailed and engaging analysis on an increasingly influential medium. Even non-gamers may find themselves seduced." (Esquire)

"Games are invading our downtime. They are becoming the dominant form of distraction, stealing thousands of hours from television. And they have, as Chatfield says, escaped from the gloom of the teenage bedroom." (The Sunday Times)

"In exploring the potential of the medium, Chatfield covers much territory, briskly and with intent ... His conclusion on what the future could hold is in equal parts daunting and lip-smacking. It should be read by gamers and non-gamers alike." (Time Out)

People make many assumptions about video games; only teenage boys play them, they increase anti-social behaviour and they tend to be violent. Fun Inc. dispels these misconceptions, revealing that 40 per cent of all video game players are women, that most of the bestselling console games of all time involve no real-world violence at all, and how World of Warcraft's online community of over 12 million players is changing our understanding of what it means to be sociable in the modern world.

But understanding games means a lot more than simply challenging stereotypes. Find out why the South Korean government will invest $200 billion into its video games industry over the next 4 years and how games are used to train the US Military, to model global pandemics and to campaign against human rights abuses in Africa.

Game worlds are creating a new science of mass engagement that is starting to transform our understanding of economics, business and communications. Whether you like video games or loathe them, Fun Inc. will show you that you cannot ignore them.