The Gaming Mind:
A New Psychology of Videogames
and the Power of Play
“The Gaming Mind seeks in part to dismantle the stigma that surrounds videogames and the archetypal ‘gamer kid.’ . . . Kriss is certainly right to highlight the emotional space that games occupy in the lives of those who play them and to take seriously the feelings that emerge there.” —The Wall Street Journal
“An unusual case for the benefits of playing video games . . . A thoughtful contribution to an ongoing debate.” —Kirkus Reviews
“[Kriss] sets out to create a new relationship between gaming and psychology, one that draws on his personal experiences, his professional practice, clinical studies, and psychoanalytical theories spanning 200 years.” —The Daily Dot
“Gaming is an undeniable growing phenomenon, and The Gaming Mind puts it under a magnifying glass. Alexander Kriss sheds light on long-overlooked deeper questions . . . There’s a reason videogames have had a visceral impact on our culture in recent decades—and the answer lies within our own minds.” —Naomi Kyle, host of Last Week in Gaming
“Alexander Kriss’s work is not only a nostalgic tour de force, but it also powerfully explains the positive impact of gaming on our minds and psyches.” —Governor Jared Polis, Colorado
“We’ve gotten the public narrative on videogames all wrong . . . Kriss takes us on a heartfelt personal and professional journey, showing how, with careful and empathetic thinking, we can start to get it right.” —Pete Etchells, PhD, author of Lost In A Good Game