In Gaming Cancer, Jeff Yoshimi explores how video games can support real-world scientific research, particularly in cancer treatment. Citizen science games like Foldit and EteRNA allow players to solve complex biological puzzles, contributing to discoveries like RNA vaccine design.
Read MoreSince 2020, McKinsey's Game-Based Innovation Lab (GBIL), formed after acquiring Imbellus, has been developing digital games for recruiting and professional development. Their first game, Sea Wolf, is part of the Solve assessment, used to evaluate analytical thinking in over 300,000 candidates annually.
Read MoreMinecraft Education engages students across subjects through immersive, game-based learning that promotes creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. Aligned with educational standards, it supports instruction in coding, AI, science, math, history, and more.
Read MoreRevenge on Gold Diggers, China’s first interactive anti-scam video game, follows Wu Yulun, a man seeking revenge after falling victim to a love scam. The game, which explores pig-butchering scams, went viral after selling over a million copies, praised for realism but heavily criticized for misogynistic portrayals of women.
Read MoreDraw the Night Sky is an educational video game developed by Kennesaw State University students in collaboration with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Designed to teach real-time constellations using data from the Yale Bright Star Catalog, the game allows players—especially children—to interactively explore and draw constellations guided by a celestial character named Stella.
Read MoreVirginia Commonwealth University professor Adrienne Baldwin-White is transforming sexual violence education through a browser-based video game she developed. Designed after extensive research on gender-based violence, the game immerses students in real-life scenarios to promote empathy and informed decision-making.
Read MoreGame-based learning is a student-centered approach that boosts motivation, collaboration, and engagement by turning learning into an interactive, enjoyable experience. It involves using purposefully designed games that align with specific learning outcomes, while gamification adds game elements (e.g., points, badges, leaderboards) to non-game tasks to increase motivation.
Read MoreDuring the pandemic, board game journalist Tim Clare realized how vital games were to his well-being, offering comfort, connection, and a sense of control during chaotic times. He and others, like professor Scott Preston, highlight that board games differ from books, films, or even video games by allowing players to make meaningful choices and interact face-to-face.
Read MoreThis piece argues that Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) adventures function as Aristotelian tragedies, with catharsis and wonder as their central goals. Drawing on Poetics, the author suggests adventure writers act as dramatists, crafting morally complex stories that prioritize player agency. D&D’s immersive, participatory nature makes it superior to passive storytelling forms like Epic poetry.
Read MoreHumphrey Ochulor, a mathematics educator and PhD student at Purdue University, discovered his passion for math after secondary school, inspired by a teacher’s engaging methods. Initially interested in chemistry, he shifted focus to mathematics and education, studying at Alvan Ikoku and Enugu State University.
Read MoreSaby Labor, manager of learning and development at California State University Fullerton, gamified an employee wellness program, where a “hydration bingo” game with a limited-edition water bottle prize became unexpectedly popular.
Read MoreA pilot study by Lancaster University found that game-based learning (GBL) is an effective way to teach adults to recognize and avoid e-commerce fraud. The "Smart E-Shopper Challenge" game outperformed traditional quizzes in raising fraud awareness, with participants scoring 86.7% versus 79.2%.
Read MoreGames captivate us because they tap into our evolutionary drive to solve problems. This same instinct powers scientific discovery, especially in complex areas like cancer research. By designing citizen science games that present unsolved scientific challenges, everyday people can meaningfully contribute.
Read MoreThe author reflects on how video games, once dismissed as a waste of time, became a powerful learning tool in their life. From early puzzle games to complex strategy and storytelling titles, gaming taught valuable skills like critical thinking, leadership, empathy, creativity, and persistence.
Read MoreResearchers at UC Santa Cruz and partner institutions have developed simulation games like Firewise Residents to help communities prepare for wildfires. These games confront players with difficult evacuation decisions, fostering awareness and dialogue.
Read MoreMatthew Keeler, an Army Reserve NCO, first got into tabletop gaming through fantasy figurines with friends, later discovering Warhammer 40,000. He was drawn to its deep strategy and sci-fi themes. Unlike simplified games like Risk, 40K emphasizes complex mechanics and long-term strategic thinking, offering lessons in planning, risk management, and decision-making that Keeler found useful in his military career.
Read MoreLegless in London, a board game developed by Dr. Ryan Sweet and Focus Games, won the Best Board or Tabletop Game for Impact at the 2025 Games for Change Awards. Based on Dr. Sweet’s research on disability history, the game immerses players in the lives of lower-limb amputees in Victorian London, challenging them to achieve personal goals.
Read MoreDating shows reflect a growing societal shift where spectacle is prioritized over sincerity, and romance is increasingly gamified. Filipino programs like Step in the Name of Love and Sparks Camp mirror this trend, transforming love into competition.
Read MoreHegemony: Lead Your Class to Victory is an educational yet engaging board game created by Varnavas Timotheou, simulating class-based economic dynamics within a fictional nation. Its asymmetric gameplay assigns players roles—Working Class, Capitalist, Middle Class, or State—each with unique goals and mechanics.
Read MoreBridge is emerging as a powerful educational tool in Scottish schools, supported by research from the University of Stirling and BAMSA. As Scotland reforms its curriculum, bridge is gaining recognition for enhancing social cooperation, mathematical thinking, and strategic reasoning.
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