Players are changed and augmented due to the magic circle’s transformative nature. Entering it turns players into… something else.

Most importantly: the magic circle is transformative. It can stretch to encompass players within in its borders. That’s because the magic circle can be elastic. The magic circle is sometimes seen as a “physical space.” It’s a place where it’s supposed to be easy to tell if someone is playing a game and when they aren’t. Like dreams, games are often a place where we can actualize our fantasies. In the magic circle real-world expectations and consequences may no longer have meaning. Inside the magic circle we become a different person, acting a different role, with others in the same context. Our computer screens and VR headsets only extend so far. In the magic circle we can also see the clear differences between what is a part of the game and what is not part of it. We accept the magic circle of games as being completely separate from real life. In games we see the magic circle as a structure of formalized rules, norms, and excepted behaviors. In these places we’re called to act and perform differently according to a new set of rules. The magic circle can be observed in court houses, religious spaces, and even special events like weddings. Interestingly, these rules are also not limited to only games.

It’s the idea that this location becomes a dimension in space and time where the imagined becomes real and where new rules apply for new circumstances. That’s because the magic circle represents this boundary.

For gamers this could be gathering around a table with friends online with their guild or even on the baseball diamond or football field. When we enter the magic circle we undoubtedly enter a separate, special, and magical place. We create a time and place where the “world’s rules” are now the “game’s rules.” This means that playing within the magic circle creates a temporary and provisional dimension. They are created because game rules dictate what we can and cannot do as well as what is supported and endorsed by other players. They are created by players, with players, and within the game. In games, we represent battles via avatars on a game board. In games, our characters progress up skill trees. In games our health become quantified into “hit points” (HP). Game actions taken in the magic circle have a different meaning and impact inside the game. The most important thing to consider with games in the magic circle is that actions within the circle create a different kind of meaning for players. Other times the magic circle exists only to provide a boundary between the real and imagined worlds. Sometimes there are “correct” ways to play in the magic circle. Sometimes it’s cooperative, competitive, or both. The magic circle is the place that we enter when we begin playing games. The “Magic Circle” is when and where games are being played and new meaning is generated. So what is the “magic circle” really? The idea and concept of the magic circle is a relatively straight forward and simple idea. Finally, this article closes on using the magic circle in games-based learning as well as some criticisms around its use. Players’ rules and roles within the circle as well as their return to “reality” are covered in this article. Characteristics and locations of the magic circle will be discussed as well as how players cross into the magic circle. This article will answer the question “What is the magic circle?” In addition, it’ll address the magic circle as the “separate and special place” in gaming. That type of escape is into the “magic circle” of games. The magic circle is a place where different rules that govern our existence, actions, and consequences applyīut what is this “magic circle?” Where does it exist? Are players always in the magic circle? What do they do within the circle? How do players create meaning inside the magic circle? Most importantly: how can we use the magic circle in games-based learning? We escape to a faraway place that is as different and distinct from the place that we call reality. One of the reasons why we play games is often to escape.

The magic circle game wiki