‘Power Play’ author George Osborn says policymakers are underestimating gaming's political influence in Good Game Club podcast

Governments around the world are increasingly treating gaming communities as influential social and communications spaces, yet many Western policymakers still underestimate their cultural and political significance, according to journalist and author George Osborn.

In the latest episode of the Good Game Club podcast, released on 15 June ahead of publication of his new book ‘Power Play: Video Games, Politics and the Battle for Global Influence’ on 18 June, Osborn argues that video games should no longer be viewed solely as entertainment products.  Instead, he says they have become influential social spaces where people form identities, build communities and increasingly encounter political and cultural ideas.

"Stop seeing video games as just products,” says Osborn, “and start recognising them as the heart of our online communities and social spaces."

Osborn says the book is “about what happens when the political world collides with video games, and what that tells us about the nature of games today and the nature of the world.”  He argues that games have become "digital third spaces" – online environments where people gather outside home and work to socialise, collaborate and participate in shared experiences.

During the discussion, Osborn describes how governments are seeking to engage gaming audiences, why some countries view games as strategic cultural and geopolitical assets, and how gaming communities are becoming important spaces for communication, identity and influence.  He also challenges long-standing misconceptions surrounding games and argues that Western governments and policymakers continue to underestimate gaming’s significance despite its scale and reach.

Osborn says the book was motivated by the positive role that games can play in society. “I’ve seen the enormous amount of good done in video games,” he says. 

To foster the social impact and benefits of gaming, he says “it’s really about civil society accepting that games are powerful, accepting that they are community spaces, and accepting that people take them as an important part of their lives.” 

Good Game Club is hosted by industry leaders Jude Ower MBE, CSO at PlanetPlay, and Mathias Gredal Nørvig, CEO of SYBO. Supported by the Dubai Films & Games Commission and Tencent, the podcast brings together leaders from gaming, culture, business and public policy to explore how games are shaping society and creating positive impact for people and the planet.

The latest episode of the Good Game Club podcast can be watched here.  For more information, please visit Linktree or contact comms@goodgame.club. ‘Power Play: Video Games, Politics and the Battle for Global Influence’ is published on 18 June by Wildfire; more information is available here.