James P. Carse wrote a wonderfully profound little book called Finite and Infinite Games. He describes finite games as games with fixed rules the aim of which is to win or lose. In contrast is the infinite game, in which the rules change (though there certainly are rules) and they change because the purpose of the game is not to win or lose, but me

finite game is played for the purpose of winning,” Carse wrote, “an infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play.”

during the game all finite play is dramatic, since the outcome is yet unknown.