Identity is usually fixed, but some games allow the player to be someone else. They slot offer a different role, a different voice, a different way of moving through the world, and the experience is one of the medium’s most distinctive offerings. Understanding why playing someone else matters reveals something important about empathy, and about the difference between a game that reflects you and one that expands you.

The most transformative experiences are often narrative. Console Games allow the player to inhabit a character, and the resulting empathy is one of the medium’s most powerful effects. PC gaming offers similar experiences, often with more choice.

Competition allows a different kind of identity. PvP Games let the player be a competitor, and the role is a form of self-expression.

Access shapes the experience. free-to-play games allow players to try different identities without cost.

The platform shapes the identity. A PC gaming game can offer deep customization, while a Console Games game can offer a strong character.

The home environment makes identity shared. Smart TV Games allow the group to be someone else together.

At the furthest edge, identity is physical. VR Games allow the player to be someone else in a way that feels real.

What emerges is a recognition that the medium’s greatest gift is empathy. The games that let us be someone else are the ones that expand us, and expansion is a form of growth. Whether the identity is explored at a desk, on a sofa, in front of a television, on a phone, or inside a headset, the principle is the same. Be someone else, and you will understand yourself better.