Video games! Tabletop games! IRL role-play gaming! The ... lottery? Dr. Jane McGonigal is a video game developer, TED speaker, bestselling author and total badass with a deep knowledge of how games -- and especially video games -- can motivate, soothe and connect us. We talk about everything from Monopoly to dance offs, Fortnite, vintage Atari, VR, the challenge of Dark Souls, the sweetness of League of Legends, how Tetris can get you through rough times and the health issue that caused Dr. McGonigal to create her huge hit, SuperBetter. Also: why everyone who loves games and everyone who hates games should hear this.

Dr. Jane McGonigal on Twitter: @Avantgame

Sponsor links: TakeCareof.com (code: OLOGIES50), LinkedIn.com/Ologies, StitchFix.com/ologies

This week's donation was made to AbleGamers.org

More links at alieward.com/ologies/ludology

Become a patron of Ologies for as little as a buck a month: www.Patreon.com/ologies

OlogiesMerch.com has hats, shirts, pins, totes!

Follow @Ologies on Twitter or Instagram

Follow @AlieWard on Twitter or Instagram

Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Theme song by Nick Thorburn

Support the show: http://Patreon.com/ologies

Ludology (VIDEO GAMES) with Jane McGonigal