Games That Make You Go 'Gasp'

It's easy for "the suits" to see video games primarily as a way to extend the brand of a particular movie or property, but if that's all the forethought that goes into development, the game's shelf-life won't last beyond opening weekend.

Games, as distinct from toys, are social experiences. The best electronic games, the ones that truly capture the players' imaginations, allow them to connect with other people -- either virtually or physically -- and manipulate the virtual environments in which they are playing.

There is a wonderful short piece on the BBC Technology page that describes how a digital soccer game is used to explore the phenomenon and success of socializing games that involve a physical component that they call an "exertion interface."