
Jane McGonigal
Futurist | Game Designer & Happiness Expert

About
Jane McGonigal is a world-renowned futurist and game designer who has spent more than a decade pioneering the use of alternate reality games and digital tools to improve real-world outcomes. As Director of Games Research & Development at the Institute for the Future, she has designed award-winning games for organizations like the World Bank, the American Heart Association, and the New York Public Library.
McGonigal's bestselling book 'Reality Is Broken' has been translated into 22 languages, and her TED talks have received over 30 million views. Through her engaging keynotes, she demonstrates how the principles of game design can be applied to enhance individual and organizational happiness, resilience, and social impact.
Talks4
Massively multi-player… thumb-wrestling?
What happens when you get an entire audience to stand up and connect with one another? Chaos, that's what. At least, that's what happened when Jane McGonigal tried to teach TED to play her favorite game. Then again, when the game is "massively multiplayer thumb-wrestling," what else would you expect?

The game that can give you 10 extra years of life

Gaming can make a better world
More Talks
Preparing for the Future
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Frequently Appeared With
Speakers who have appeared at the same events
AJ Jacobs
Author & Journalist | Discovering the Extraordinary in the Ordinary
1 shared event · TED
Aaron Horowitz
Co-Founder & CEO, Sproutel | Designing Therapeutic Robots for Children
1 shared event · TED
Aaron Maniam
Government Advisor | Navigating the Future of Work
1 shared event · TED
Aaswath Raman
Renewable Energy Researcher | Pioneering Space-Based Cooling Technologies
1 shared event · TED
Abe Davis
Video Technology Researcher | Revealing Hidden Properties Through Advanced Imaging
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Abha Dawesar
Fiction Author | Navigating the Digital Age
1 shared event · TED
Abigail Disney
Workers' Rights Advocate | Champion of Workplace Dignity and Fair Labor Practices
1 shared event · TED
Abigail Marsh
Researcher | Exploring the Psychology Behind Human Altruism
1 shared event · TED
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