Progressive Larp

The term Progressive larp has recently been suggested as a replacement of the current term “Nordic larp”. The idea is that by removing geographical signifiers the Progressive larp movement will be immediately understood as a smaller but internationally diverse movement of artistic and experimental larp design, not as a description of games made in the Nordic countries. It is one of several approaches to larp and makes no claim to be better. Just different.

Known proponents of the term include Swedish-American transmedia and larp-designer Martin Ericsson who suggested the term at the “Nordic larp” conference Knutpunkt 2014 and German larp-designer Stefan Deutsch. The term was first used by journalist and larp-advocate Johanna Koljonen.

History
Progressive larp comes from a tradition that views larp as a valid form of expression, worthy of debate, analysis and continuous experimentation, which emerged around the Knutepunkt convention. It typically values thematic coherence, continuous illusion, action and immersion, while keeping the larp co-creative and its production noncommercial. Workshops and debriefs are common.

Controversy
The term has been criticized in many online discussions and many arguments have been made for and against the use of the term and how it relates to the term Nordic Larp.