I think you're correct; we are talking about a game. But then, success == triumph == a satisfied ego. I think it's foolish to forget that ultimately ego often

I think you're correct; we are talking about a game. But then, success == triumph == a satisfied ego. I think it's foolish to forget that ultimately ego often fuels people's motivation. Quite a lot of the time, if ego can be singled out as a motivator - the activity in question probably has dubious value.