The magic circle of video games

Video games have been adopted by a huge number of people. It has become one of the most important leisure activities. But why does it work? What are we looking for? Yet fiction also resides, and often better, in other arts. A sense of accomplishment can be found elsewhere. Why seek it in the virtual?

In ARTE's "Jour de Play" program, contributors explain their relationship with play with humor and tenderness.

For some, it's an escape from today's dull and difficult world. You can become a knight in shining armor or a kingpin - nothing like everyday life. Some, however, will have fun on titles that replicate real life, such as train driving simulators, supermarket manager simulators or even high-pressure jet cleaners. They go for them because, although they're closer to the real thing, it's actually simpler because the rules are clearer, mistakes are more obvious and it's easier to start again when you've failed.

Finally, there are those who find games to be rather similar rails and mechanics which, without revolutionizing anything, are experiences that we seek to relive from time to time, like snuggling up under the comforter.

Are video games better than life? The formula is provocative and inevitably untrue, but it does serve to highlight the incredible ability of major and independent developers to captivate audiences and draw them into a "magic circle", a concept combining rules that players must respect with opportunities for them to experiment in their own way.

Running time: 21min14