Comments on: MMOs to help futurists solve world problems?

The Institute for the Future says it will launch a series of massively multiplayer forecasting games designed to employ the wisdom of the crowds in finding solutions to troubling scenarios.

[sythara]

Yes, just what we need. Bunch of 12 year old WoW players to solve our world problems.

[iamarcin]

Does it realy matter how they get solved? as long as they do.

[inachu]

That is like saying a ethnic minority can influence the american audience as a whole and dominate television to make them larger or more populated than they really are.
TV is full of lies and so is this game even though I do like MMO's like WOW

[firemonk]

I know how to solve problems with an MMO. Lets get a WAAAGH! going.

[Kesteral]

I doubt this will be productive. The problem with using games in an attempt to 'solve' real life issues is that games are finite, predefined systems. Systems that are probably influenced by the political leanings of whoever developed the game. Any solution found within the game will probably not work in a world that is as incredibly complex, fast changing, and unknown as ours.

[Jonathansalembaskin]

I agree with the idea that simply getting involved in the game -- which requires at least a modicum of awareness -- is itself the ultimate deliverable. Crowds are no more 'wise' than history has a direction. But I think it makes sense to engage people this way vs. some set of static ads or other standard-issue marketing campaigns. I argue strongly for this 'game' approach to marketing overall in my book, BRANDING ONLY WORKS ON CATTLE. Hats off to IFTF for being a pioneer on this front...