Thanks for another enjoyable article Tadhg. I continue to disagree with you on this "win" thing, but it might be semantic. I think of games as requiring end states, and I consider a win/loss binary to be one type of end state (one that is a key component of almost all competitive games, and many non-competitive ones as well). To provide an example of a non win/loss end state, big narrative games like RPGs and Action/Adventure titles can characterized by end states of completion, and in some instances by varied outcomes. In the latter instance outcomes can be different without any of them constituting a loss for the player. The crucial piece in this is of course the player's perspective on the gaming experience. I don't believe that most players who don't finish a game consider that to be a loss (although this could be empirically tested through some large scale survey work). Again this might be a semantic distinction on my part, but I personally find it to be one worth making.