Disaffected 1.1

A video game designer named Ian Bogost founded Persuasive Games in 2003. The company specialized in creating games with a particular agenda, such as those geared toward public policy, advertising, or education. Persuasive Games' aim was to use video games as a medium to encourage and influence the audience towards a particular point of view.

However, not everyone was taken in by the company's vision. Critics opined that Persuasive Games' approach was too simplistic and reductionist. Games that tried to tackle complex social issues using oversimplified mechanics failed to deliver a compelling experience. Critics also felt that the agenda-driven nature of Persuasive Games undermined the artistic value of the games.

Despite this criticism, Persuasive Games have had some successes. The company created a game called "Airport Insecurity," which used satire to highlight the issues surrounding airport security post-9/11. However, many players and critics noted the shallow nature of the game and were left wanting more from a playable critique on American airport security.

Ultimately, Persuasive Games' focus on political and social agendas gained it some attention early on. However, the company struggled to create games that could stand on their own feet first rather than those that stood primarily as one-sided message carriers that detracted from the player experience.