Subscribe to the new Off Book channel at www.youtube.com/pbsoffbook Video games are important. They are a storytelling medium, a place for self-expression, a sandbox for the human imagination, and an extension of an ages old tradition of gaming. We play out some of the most essential aspects of our culture in games, and we learn more about ourselves and the world around us in the process. From the powerful cinematic experiences of mainstream gaming, to the hyper-personal environments of indie games, we are in the midst of an explosion of gaming activity that, as some predict, will continue to define the way we live and interact with information, and each other, far into the future. Featuring: Eric Zimmerman, Game Designer Jesper Juul, Game Studies Scholar Leigh Alexander, Game Journalist Syed Salahuddin, Game Designer and Curator Music by: 4mat, freemusicarchive.org/music/4mat/ The Shortsleeves, theshortsleeves.bandcamp.com/ Trash80, trash80.net/ Follow Off Book: Twitter: @pbsoffbook Tumblr: pbsarts.tumblr.com/ Produced by Kornhaber Brown: www.kornhaberbrown.com