In both work and everyday contexts, technology is supposed to work. When it comes to games, another central task emerges: by means of technology – that is, happiness machines – emotions are to be aroused, even controlled. An area once reserved for human activity is delegated to technology. The depth of penetration and effectiveness of technology are here more meaningful than at work or in daily life. Play-specific demands on technology arise. Stefan Poser analyses this development that has shaped us since the modern technical age, with the use of examples from sport, funfair attractions, and play with technical toys, in the process opening up a new field of technical and cultral history.
