You've Been Played

In You’ve Been Played, game designer Adrian Hon explores how games and gamification are increasingly being used by corporations, schools, and governments as tools for exploitation and social control. The book examines how these practices embed points, badges, and leaderboards into everyday life, often with heavy consequences for losing, and how this pervasive trend raises concerns about autonomy and dignity. It serves as a critical perspective on a tech-driven world that often equates misery with entertainment, urging readers to recognize and resist these manipulative strategies.