{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,1]],"date-time":"2026-05-01T14:41:14Z","timestamp":1777646474644,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":25,"publisher":"SAGE Publications","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2014,9,19]],"date-time":"2014-09-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1411084800000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/page\/policies\/text-and-data-mining-license"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["journals.sagepub.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Games and Culture"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2014,11]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>In 2012, MTV explored a new approach to voter engagement through \u201cFantasy Election.\u201d The game had players draft candidates in the congressional and presidential elections onto personal teams in order to compete for points and prizes, which were distributed based not only on the candidates\u2019 actions but also when players themselves took action to become better informed and involved during the campaign. In the end, Fantasy Election drew over 10,000 active participants. This article scrutinizes the design and effect of the game by using data from MTV\u2019s exit survey of Fantasy Election users to explore whether and how games can be used to encourage voter engagement. By considering the self-reported motivations of players, and a broader discussion of the role of play, competition and reward in fostering political and civic participation, we consider how gamification strategies have ambivalent effects on developing a more informed and cooperative civil society.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1177\/1555412014549804","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,9,20]],"date-time":"2014-09-20T01:32:07Z","timestamp":1411176727000},"page":"454-467","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1177\/sage-journals-update-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Electing to Play"],"prefix":"10.1177","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Maxwell","family":"Foxman","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Communications, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA"}]},{"given":"Michelle","family":"Forelle","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Communication, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA"}]}],"member":"179","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2014,9,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"bibr1-1555412014549804","unstructured":"Anderson S. (2011, March 25). Stephen Anderson: Long after the thrill: Sustaining passionate users. Vimeo. Retrieved, July 22, 2014, from http:\/\/vimeo.com\/21505297"},{"key":"bibr2-1555412014549804","unstructured":"Belsky G. (2012, August 28). Six reasons why \u201cgamification\u201d will rule the business world. Time. Retrieved September 5, 2013, from http:\/\/business.time.com\/2012\/08\/28\/six-reasons-why-gamification-will-rule-the-business-world\/"},{"key":"bibr3-1555412014549804","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bogost I. (2006). Playing politics: Videogames for politics, activism, and advocacy. First Monday, (Special Issue #7). Retrieved September 5, 2013, from http:\/\/firstmonday.org\/htbin\/cgiwrap\/bin\/ojs\/index.php\/fm\/article\/view\/1617\/1532","DOI":"10.5210\/fm.v0i0.1617"},{"key":"bibr4-1555412014549804","unstructured":"Bogost I. (2011, August 8). Gamification is bullshit. Ian Bogost. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from http:\/\/www.bogost.com\/blog\/gamification_is_bullshit.shtml"},{"key":"bibr5-1555412014549804","unstructured":"Bourque A. (2012, February 2). Is 2012 the year for gamification? | Social media today. Social Media Today. Retrieved August 11, 2013, from http:\/\/socialmediatoday.com\/socialmktgfella\/455261\/2012-year-gamification"},{"key":"bibr6-1555412014549804","unstructured":"Can Gamification Advance to the Next Level? (2011, August 17). Can gamification advance to the next level? Knowledge@Wharton. Retrieved July 22, 2014, from http:\/\/knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu\/article\/can-gamification-advance-to-the-next-level-2\/"},{"key":"bibr25-1555412014549804","unstructured":"CopeA. (2012, October 16). Political Games: MTV's Fantasy Election '12. Center for Games & Impact. Retrieved December 9, 2012, from http:\/\/gamesandimpact.org\/news\/political-games-mtvs-fantasy-election-12\/"},{"key":"bibr7-1555412014549804","unstructured":"2008 General Election Turnout Rates. (2012, March 31). United States elections project. Retrieved April 10, 2012, from http:\/\/elections.gmu.edu\/Turnout_2008G.html"},{"key":"bibr8-1555412014549804","unstructured":"2010 General Election Turnout Rates. (2012, February 2). United States elections project. Retrieved April 10, 2012, from http:\/\/elections.gmu.edu\/Turnout_2010G.html"},{"key":"bibr9-1555412014549804","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1257\/jep.25.4.191"},{"key":"bibr10-1555412014549804","volume-title":"Homo Ludens: A study of the play-element in culture","author":"Huizinga J.","year":"1975"},{"key":"bibr11-1555412014549804","unstructured":"Jones J. H. (2012, January 9). Record-high 40% of Americans identify as independent in \u201911. Gallup. Retrieved April 10, 2013, from http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/151943\/record-high-americans-identify-independents.aspx"},{"key":"bibr12-1555412014549804","volume-title":"Half-real: Video games between real rules and fictional worlds","author":"Juul J.","year":"2005"},{"key":"bibr13-1555412014549804","unstructured":"LaFrance A. (2012, May 16). For its 2012 elections coverage, MTV swaps out citizen journalism for gamification. Nieman Journalism Lab. Retrieved December 9, 2012, from http:\/\/www.niemanlab.org\/2012\/05\/for-its-2012-elections-coverage-mtv-swaps-out-citizen-journalism-for-gamification\/"},{"key":"bibr14-1555412014549804","volume-title":"Reality is broken: Why games make us better and how they can change the world (400 edition.)","author":"McGonigal J.","year":"2011"},{"key":"bibr15-1555412014549804","unstructured":"Miller J. (1992, October 11). But can you dance to it? MTV turns to news\u2013new york times. New York Times. Retrieved December 9, 2012, from http:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/1992\/10\/11\/magazine\/but-can-you-dance-to-it-mtv-turns-to-news.html"},{"key":"bibr16-1555412014549804","unstructured":"MTV Fantasy Election. (2012). MTV fantasy election \u201812 summary and key findings. [White paper]. Retrieved September 5, 2013, from http:\/\/powerof12.hyfn.s3.amazonaws.com\/mtv_fe_white_paper_final.pdf"},{"key":"bibr17-1555412014549804","unstructured":"Nicholson S. (2012). Strategies for meaningful gamification: Concepts behind transformative play and participatory museums. Presented at Meaningful Play 2012. Lansing, MI. Retrieved from http:\/\/scottnicholson.com\/pubs\/meaningfulstrategies.pdf"},{"key":"bibr18-1555412014549804","volume-title":"A Passion to Win","author":"Redstone S.","year":"2001"},{"key":"bibr19-1555412014549804","unstructured":"Stelter B. (2011, December 18). MTV drops \u201cchoose or lose\u201d campaign season slogan. The New York Times. 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