Concluding Thoughts

Thanks to emerging platforms and distribution services, the tried-and-true models of disseminating news are eroding. In an age where search engines are pervasive, being informed means looking beyond a cacophony of scrolling headlines. With an increasing focus on how information, not just news, can be tailored to the individual, the role of newsmakers must evolve. It must cater to personalization while retaining its edict of informing and educating the public. Games are one avenue for journalists and users to grapple with this new reality.

This report seeks to highlight how games and play currently manifest in the news landscape. As some of the most successful articles in the past few years have been interactives and quizzes, it is difficult to ignore the powerful effect of digital content that playfully engages readers.

To a certain population, this report may act as an update to those ideas espoused about newsgames five years ago. Its mission, however, is to discern how newsrooms are dealing with new technology, new personnel, and new practices that arise in a world where play lies at our fingertips—in our homes, on our phones, and, of course, online. It attempts to balance the precepts of game designers, the knowledge of journalists already making use of the medium, and the advocacy of forward-thinking academics in the fields of journalism and game studies. Historical precedents show play as a compelling avenue for exploring the relationship between newsmakers and their audiences.

The research here examines playful products and practices, discloses business opportunities from the game industry, and, ultimately, critiques the assimilation of play into the newsroom. In interviews, the term “game” remained ambiguous—interchangeable with “fun,” “play,” and “model.” No matter its label, games are present in most newsrooms, and a playful attitude seems beneficial in the production and distribution of digital content. However, while play and games provide a vocabulary and perspective, they are just a starting point—rather than a ready-made solution. Newsmakers stand to gain from approaching their work less seriously, in some capacity, in exchange for the openness to being stirred to experiment, iterate, and (obviously) play.