Why do games matter? According to Anable, an assistant professor of film studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, they give people the opportunity to rehearse feelings and emotions. In contrast to 2011’s influential Reality Is Broken by Jane McGonigal, this well-researched and often provocative book suggests that playing games is not about escaping from reality, because our emotions are inextricably linked to them. Playing With Feelings breaks down some fairly weighty themes and theories to create an engaging exploration of how a person’s feelings are influenced by gaming.

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