ABSTRACT
It is relatively easy to find examples of deep, immersive play that has effects on personal or social identity: an intensive psychodrama, live action role-play, and even some massively multiplayer online (MMO) game players report experiences that have affected the ways they perceive themselves, or human condition in general. Most of contemporary play, however, is not deep or transformative in a similar manner. This article will focus on casual gameplay that takes place in common games such as Solitaire, or more recently games such as FarmVille (which peaked at 80 million active players in February 2010), as well as through mobile phone applications such as Foursquare, a location-based game for smartphones. The aim is to discuss the significance and meaning-making activities that take place among these kinds of games, and highlight their contributions to game cultures and to our daily lives in general.
