Homo ludens defines play for generations to come a happier age than ours once made bold to call our species by the name of homo sapiens in the course of time we have come to realize that we are. Homo ludens a study of the play element in culture by j huizinga late professor of history in the university oj leyden routledge kegan paul london boston and henley. The main premise of homo ludens is that play is primary to and a necessary though not sufficient condition of the generation of culture the fact that play and culture are actually interwoven with one another was neither observed nor expressed whereas for us the whole point is to show that genuine pure play is one of the main bases of civilisation. In homo ludens johan huizinga makes the case that the ability and appetite for play is a defining characteristic of humanity huizinga describes play as an essential pillar of civilization present in our art our law and even in our war. In homo ludens johan huizinga defines play as the central activity in flourishing societies he identifies five characteristics of play it is free it is not ordinary or real life it is distinct from ordinary life both as to locality and duration it creates order it is connected with no material interest and from it no profit can be gained