What makes a game good? or bad? or better?
Well Played is a concept of providing in-depth close readings of games that parse out the various meanings to be found through the experience of playing a game. The term “well played” is used in several senses. Initially it was in two ways. On the one hand, well played is to games as well read is to books. So, a person who reads a lot of books is “well read” and a person who plays a lot of games is “well played.” On the other hand, well played as in well done. So, a hand of poker can be “well played” by a person, and a game can be “well played” by the development team. José Zagal has articulated a third way of considering well played in an ethical sense. So, players should consider how to play well in terms of not cheating, and developers should consider how to make games that treat players respectfully. And Bernie De Koven’s The Well Played Game, is a spiritual precedence to joys of playing well.
The Well Played Journal is a forum for in-depth close readings of games that parse out the various meanings to be found in the experience of playing a game. It’s a diamond open-access journal in which contributors retain all their intellectual property, and neither contributors nor readers are charged fees. We accept submissions in response to calls for participation that are released on a regular basis, publishing issues with high-quality essays. All submissions are peer reviewed by the Well Played Editorial Advisory. Knowledge Commons Works serves as the repository for the Journal, which is also collected in the Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play at The Strong National Museum of Play.
Well Played Journal issues are published through Play Story Press, are free to download through our repository, with print versions available to purchase through Lulu, and they are released under a Creative Commons license:
We have a Style Guide for authors, and all submissions to the Journal are reviewed by the Well Played Editors. The Editor-in-Chief, Editors and Guest Editors work with authors to develop submissions. When essays are submitted, the Editor-in-Chief send them to the Well Played Editorial Advisory for blind peer review. At this stage, the Advisory are asked to declare any potential conflicts of interest, so the Advisory members can step aside as necessary. Review feedback is collected by the Editor-in-Chief. In the case of a decline, authors are informed, and the Editor-in-Chief shares the review feedback, along with guidance on potential next steps. In case of an accept, authors are informed, and the Editor-in-Chief shares the review feedback and next steps. As submissions move forward, the Editor-in-Chief keeps in touch with the authors as they work to complete their essays. The Well Played Journal is also open and supportive of requests from Guest Editors to get reviews from professionals with specific expertise. When final submissions come in, the Editor-in-Chief does another review referencing the initial feedback, and works with the authors to finalize the Journal issue.
Contributors are encouraged to look at games through all three senses of “well played,” analyzing sequences in a game in detail in order to illustrate and interpret how the various components of a game can come together to create a fulfilling playing experience unique to this medium. Through contributors, the journal will provide a variety of perspectives on the value of games.
The goal of the journal is to continue developing and defining a literacy of games as well as a sense of their value as an experience. Contributors are invited to also discuss games in general (ranging from tabletop, to big games and more) and how they are often designed for different fields (education, entertainment, etc.) as we more fully develop a literacy around games and play. Contributors are encouraged to consider using screenshots and video of their gameplay in order to help illustrate their ideas. And we’re open to suggestions on themed issues around a specific game or a topic across games.
Games are a complex medium that merits careful interpretation and insightful analysis. By inviting contributors to look closely at games and the experience of playing them, we hope to expand the discussion, and show how games are well played in a variety of ways.
The Well Played Journal is published regularly in response to calls for participation. We don’t have a set schedule beyond working to share quality submissions in annually. Our goal is to publish as often as we have great essays. There isn’t a subscription, although all issues are available for download for free, and we offer print versions for sale through Lulu.
The Well Played Journal was founded by Drew Davidson, who serves as the Editor-in-Chief. All submissions and any questions should be sent to:
