Playing a Different Kind of Open Game

As the boundary between online games, online worlds, and even the real world all starts to deliquesce, here's an interesting essay on what the author, Jesper Juul, calls "open games":

According to a widespread theory, video games are goal-oriented, rule-based activities, where players find enjoyment in working towards the game goal. According to this theory, game goals provide a sense of direction and set up the challenges that the players face.

However, the last few decades have seen many things described as "games" that either do not have goals, or have goals that are optional for the player: Sims 2 (Maxis 2004) has no stated goals, but is nevertheless extremely popular. The also popular Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar Games North 2005) is superficially a goal-oriented game, yet the game allows the player to perform a wide range of actions while ignoring the game goal. San Andreas isin many ways as different from Sims 2 as can possibly be: Where Sims 2 has no goal, San Andreas contains an explicit goal. Where San Andreas is infamous for being immoral and violent, Sims 2 is famous for its family-friendliness. Yet San Andreas and Sims 2 are fundamentally similar in that they are top-selling, open and expressive games, games that let the player use them in many different ways, games that allow for many different playing styles, for players pursuing personal agendas.

Not quite the openness that we know and love on this blog, but definitely a kissing cousin.