In light of our recent look at the potentially darker side of impersonal entertainment - video games, particularly - it seemed worth looking at this post from The Atlantic. While some games seem intent on improving graphics, action, and often violence, and others seek to channel a human penchant for distraction and twiddling, there are a few other game designers seeking to add a reflective, aesthetic, and even philosophical element to their games. The goal here is to inform and challenge gamers much the same way that an author might challenge readers.

But is this really that much better than the other models? Or could the effort to make video games more realistic in terms of their themes actually create a world where players take games too seriously? If a game ceases to have entertainment as its primary goal, does it remain a game nonetheless?

What do you think? Is this a positive development or more likely to be destructive?