Why Games Defy Universal Definitions

You cannot find a single trait that all games share. Instead of one core rule, they form a complex web of overlapping similarities, much like the shared features across members of a single family.

Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein famously challenged the idea that categories need a single defining essence. He observed that while board games, card games, and ball games all seem related, there is no common thread connecting every single one. By comparing them to family members who share a nose or eye color but no single universal trait, he changed how we understand language. This perspective shows that our words are often tied together by flexible networks rather than rigid definitions.