I've reported on video games in some capacity for seven years. If you name a game, I probably can manage to tell you who made it, when, and how it was received. Tempting as it is to mistake that sort of encyclopedic knowledge for a firm grasp of the medium, I know I still have plenty to learn about games. The medium is so new and has tended to defy expectations, limitations, and labels.

To help explain video games and the power they have, I invited my good friend and former boss, Chris Grant, the Editor-in-Chief of Polygon, to unpack things. I hope this is a helpful entry point for people who haven't lived and breathed video games for half a decade, and for long-time fans, a reminder of the sheer scope of games.