Play to Lift
Play to Lift is a theory and technique wherein players take shared responsibility in co-creating positive experiences for each other. Coined in 2018 by Susanne Vejdemo as an alternative to existing philosophies of Play to Win and Play to lose[1]. Alternatively "Play to Let Others Win" or "Play Up", like the other theories of play, it benefits from larp participants sharing ideas, reciprocating each others' efforts, and active communication[2].
This philosophy often co-exists with "Play to Lose" approaches in games, due to the need to let characters fail or experience greater conflict to build dramatic tension, and as players seek to make losing more enjoyable by providing other interesting role-play opportunities[3]. It can also be used as a way to step outside of a 'win/lose' binary view on game experiences. This approach can be particularly relevant to Theatre-style games where there are no inherent win conditions or character deaths to avoid.
See also
References
- ↑ Susanne Vedjemo (2018), 'Play to Lift, Not Just Lose'. Retrieved 7th February 2026.
- ↑ Elina Gouliou (March 20, 2018) Playing to Lift: Making Characters Shine, Pelgrane Press. Retrieved 19 August 2026.
- ↑ Epic Armoury (2026) Have You Heard of Play to Lose and Play to Lift in Larp? Retrieved 19 August 2026.