SGS Feature: 'Why We Need a Corporation for Public Gaming'

As the first ever exclusive feature for new Gamasutra sister website Serious Games Source, which deals with games created for training, health, government, military, educational and other uses, the Woodrow Wilson International Center's David Rejeski, co-founder of the Serious Games Initiative, argues forcefully for a public gaming corporation that would "provide grants to develop a diversity of games for the public good." Rejeski traces the history of public funding for other major creative industries such as television, suggesting: "However, serious games, like serious TV, are likely to remain a sidebar in the history of mass media. Non-commercial television floundered, despite millions of dollars of investment by the Ford Foundation, until the government stepped in and created a viable and long-lasting alternative. With similar vision and foresight, and a relatively small amount of funding, this could happen with video and computer games. A Corporation for Public Gaming (CPG) could be established that would operate on a model similar to its broadcasting equivalent, providing grants to develop a diversity of games for the public good. Like CPB, the goal of the CPG would be to provide high-quality games, which “inform, enlighten and enrich the public.” A $15 million annual investment would be made for a three-year period with a review conducted at the end of year three followed by recommendations for continuance, modification, or termination of the program." You can now read the full Serious Games Source feature on the subject, including specifics on Rejeski's intriguing concept (no registration required, please feel free to link to this column from external websites). [The Serious Games Source website will be rolling out more features, including new job and project connect and store functionality, over the next few weeks, and will be publishing features on Tuesdays and Fridays and news daily as it grows.]