In 1957, the Situationists penned a hopeful manifesto calling upon the revolutionary potential of play, for ‘the invention of games of an essentially new type’ (Debord, ‘Report’). The brief descriptions of these early Situationist capers and games that were actually played, not just theorized, recount exploring underground tunnel systems, occupations of Parisian railway stations, and spontaneous urban mappings (Debord, ‘Theory of the Dérive’). During the Situationists’ time, the object of resistance for such critical play was the capitalist, bourgeois routine of the city. Debord writes, ‘The situationist game is distinguished from the classic notion of games by its radical negation of the element of competition and of separation from everyday life. On the other hand, it is not distinct from a moral choice, since it implies taking a stand in favor of what will bring about the future reign of freedom and play’ (‘Report’).

More than half a century later, play does not seem to have realized its revolutionary potential entirely the way these young artists, architects, and writers envisioned. And yet, games may indeed have infiltrated everyday life only too well. McKenzie Wark describes an ominous growth of ‘gamespace’, an invasive agonistic, speculative, abstract game logic taking hold in global finance, education, narrative media, and other spheres once considered outside the game. He writes, ‘Play becomes everything to which it was once opposed. It is work, it is serious, it is morality, it is necessity’ (Wark). ‘Gamification’, a term that floats around marketing, software, and game industry circles, refers to the addition of gamic features to everyday activities that were once outside the game, like an electronic list of daily tasks on the mobile phone that rewards ‘the player’ each time an errand is completed or a grocery item is purchased. Gamified marketing schemes award points to loyal customers that later can be applied toward purchases. Joggers are motived to run faster when they are chased by virtual Zombies on their smartphones and players insert their own health and fitness goals, from weight loss to injury recovery, into SuperBetter's flexible, motivational framework.

Digitized student exams provide instant positive or negative feedback on the player's answers. The ‘Quest to Learn’ public elementary school in New York City boasts of an entire curriculum, from math to history, taught through games. Spectator entertainment has also been gamified.