Antigame

Clearly, antigames such as Progress Quest and Achievement Unlocked don't appeal to players through high levels of playability. On the contrary: they are played by parodically minded users who don't mind sacrificing their usual gaming experience for various degrees of humorous self-reflexivity and self-criticism.

Just like in Arcangel's work, we are confronted with an antigame: all the interactivity and stress in the game are removed, and we experience a calm and meditative atmosphere.

As one site explained: 'We were going to refer to Dungeon Keeper as a non-game, but that's not really accurate. It's an antigame. It is purposefully designed not to require thought[.]"

The principle is the same as in kicking the provocative boxer or using strategic weapons in response to a tactical nuclear challenge. A strategy designed for refusing to play a game might be called an antigame strategy.

When capacity to respond to any aggression at a corresponding level of violence does not exist, the strategy of antigame is recommended.

Should either side adopt an uncooperative or "antigame" stance and attempt to destroy its opponent's high command, then the strategy defeats itself and the side that attempted to maintain communications and hold the door open for war termination is disadvantaged.