In TikTok videos, a deepfake of rapper Ice Spice explains logarithmic functions and Taylor Swift and Kim Kardashian team up to teach the calculus concept of the definite integral.
In 2020, gaming was all the hype.
In 2021, Facebook changed its name to Meta, beginning a turn toward a unified, digital 3D world.
In 2022 and onward, we’ve been trying to figure out what generative AI is and what it means for our industry.
All of this is evidence that we’re now in the “Ludic Century”—a decade after designer Eric Zimmerman came up with the term. Ludic comes from the Latin “ludus,” which means game or characterized by play.
How did we get here?
Zimmerman argues that the 20th century can be defined as the Information Age, because of the profound changes brought about by advancements in how information was processed, stored and communicated.
In this age, information, particularly, film, TV and news, was consumed in a linear, noninteractive manner. The audience was a passive recipient of information curated and delivered by experts or media producers.
Let’s fast forward to now, when user-generated and gamified information is king. Half of Gen Z respondents say YouTube is their favorite streaming service and we’re twice as likely to get news from TikTok than from traditional sources such as the BBC. Then there’s the rise of Duolingo and how Gen Z is using AI celebrity deepfakes to teach themselves math.
The truth is we now have lots of information around us. Too much, in fact. Therefore, digital technology has given games new relevance, transforming information networks into playful, flexible systems. Zimmerman notes Wikipedia as a great and early example. As a reader, you’re not a passive absorber of information, you’re also the creator of it. The system evolves with you. It becomes participatory, just like a game.
The Ludic Century is about how we engage with this information in playful and interactive ways, transforming passive consumption into active participation. It is defined by a shift from linear, noninteractive media (such as traditional film and video) to interactive, participatory experiences, making information playable.
Based on the above proof, Gen Z and Gen Alpha, being born right into the digital revolution, are leading our shift into the Ludic Century. Their entire communication style is defined by humor, irony and playfulness. Just google “skibidi toilet,” “lobotomy” and “lookmaxxing.”
I’ve explained all of this to say that the next time you see some sort of technology that’s trendy with the younger generations and residents of the internet, be conscious that it’s not just a trend—it’s another indicator that the Ludic Era is upon us.
The hype behind gaming, the metaverse and AI all connect to digitally native younger generations’ desire to play with new toys and make life more engaging and bearable. Because simply, if you want to forget about the haunting fact that we regularly eat plastic just like birds and the fish, you do what Nicki Minaj fans did and invent an imaginary city based on the vibes of your favorite artist.
Here’s the main thing. Instead of jumping on hype trains, our industry should focus on understanding how Gen Z uses digital spaces and playful language to communicate. Most importantly, we should embrace Gen Z’s playful thought process and lifestyle, viewing tools (such as Roblox, Midjourney or TikTok) as toys.
The hype behind gaming, the metaverse and AI all connect to digitally native Gen Z’s desire to play with new toys and make life more engaging and bearable. Instead of jumping on these trends, thereby making them less cool in an instant, we need to be playing with these toys in the exact same way; inventing our own unique way of bringing our imaginations to life, finding playful ways to bridge distances—and maybe even engaging in a little bit of internet poetry on Fridge Poetry every now and then.
What’s sad is that I’m not practicing what I’m preaching. This piece will be published as an article, and you the reader will be a passive recipient. What I’m hoping for is, the next time you hear from me, I’ll have figured out a way to make the concept of the Ludic Century a playable and engaging experience and I’ll get to see what you do with it.
Until then, I hope you practice some playfulness.
