Futurist Games

What are the best games to play for gaining skills that improve capability to predict the future?

Games that train prediction, pattern recognition, and adaptive thinking.

Decision Algorithm

Life is a decision-making algorithm. The same loop runs everywhere:

INTENTION → ATTENTION → ACTION → FEEDBACK
    ↑                               │
    └───────────────────────────────┘

Domain	Iteration	Failure Cost	Purpose
Games	Minutes	Zero	Train the algorithm
Work	Days	Medium	Apply the algorithm
Life	Years	High	Stakes are real

Games let you tune your routing before life applies it at scale. The better your algorithm, the more value you extract from decisions.

The Loop

Standards create predictability. Predictability enables prediction markets. Prediction markets attract capital. Capital enables futarchy.

PRACTICE (Games) → PREDICT (Markets) → GOVERN (Futarchy) → COMPOUND (Standards)

Games are where you practice before stakes are existential.

Standards Game

The most valuable futurist skill: predict which standards win.

Level	Prediction	Stakes
Novice	Which product wins	Consumer choice
Intermediate	Which protocol gets adopted	Industry structure
Expert	Which standard dominates	Economic foundation

Standards compound. HTTP won because it became the standard, not because it was best. Predicting adoption = predicting economic structure.

Game Types

Type	Skill Developed	Example
Prediction	Calibration	Poker
Strategy	Pattern recognition	Chess, Go
Simulation	Systems thinking	EVE Online, Factorio
Scenario	Adaptive thinking	Red team exercises
Collaboration	Coordination	Team-based games

Cognitive Edge

Skill	What It Does	Game Training
Anticipation	See before others see	Strategy games
Calibration	Know what you don't know	Prediction markets
Adaptation	Adjust when wrong	Roguelikes, poker
Bias recognition	Spot your own blind spots	Post-game analysis

Context

• Agency — The algorithm you're training
• Game Economics — EVE Online as monetary policy lab
• Prediction Markets — Real-stakes prediction
• Standards — Why predicting standards matters
• Futarchy — Governance by prediction
• Matrix Thinking — See the gaps in your algorithm