Defining the concept of the game is a big challenge.
Several fields of research have tried to define this concept according to their theoretical approaches.
In the field of psychology, Jean Piaget is one of those who have been most interested in the definition and impact of play on the development of young people.
He defined play as a means of approaching the world and which would allow the ego in construction in the child, to assimilate reality. The free and structured play would then make it possible to move from action to representation by its evolution from its initial form of sensorimotor exercise (eg: moving the feet), to its second form of the symbolic game (eg: role play) and fantasy game (ex: zombie game). Piaget then categorized periods of life and phases of learning through play.
Sensory-motor period (first 18 months): the child only plays in the presence of the object.
A representative period: (from 2 years old) pretending, access to symbolism, and the presence of the object.
Social period: games to rule, the game allows the child to assimilate reality (4 - 11 years old).
In the field of communication and Games Studies, the game is defined in two concepts:
The Play (Paidia) represents the action of playing and the object of the toy. We are talking about open, free, and exploratory play, present especially in young children or in unstructured games.
The Games (Ludus) represent the player and the playing space. We are talking about a game-oriented goal that leaves little room for open and free play, present in structured games, such as board games. (Caillois, 1958).
The game could be defined in its components:
Gamefulness (the experiential and behavioral aspect of the game),
Gameful interaction (artifacts giving access to these aspects),
Gameful design (the act of designing to achieve these aspects, usually using elements of game design).
Alfrink (2011); Deterding (2012); Juul (2005); Salen & Zimmerman (20