This article explores how behavioural economics enhances serious game design by aligning gameplay with real human behavior—emotions, biases, and social influences. It emphasizes balancing extrinsic rewards with intrinsic motivation to drive engagement, learning, and lasting change. Thoughtful design creates meaningful, realistic experiences that go beyond play to inspire transformation.
Read MoreThe video game industry is finally addressing player safety amid rampant online harassment and toxic behavior. A significant portion of gamers have experienced or witnessed hate speech, sexual harassment, and doxxing. Efforts to improve safety include industry-wide self-regulation and new governmental regulations, such as the European Union’s Digital Services Act.
Read MoreDuolingo's mascot, Duo the Owl, dons a Pink Guard uniform and motivates users with humorous but firm reminders to complete lessons. The campaign also features a suspenseful teaser, a K-pop remix, and challenges, encouraging fans to learn Korean while having fun with the series.
Read MoreDesigning a great strategy game involves balancing unpredictability and fairness. A new framework, "A Flexible Generalized Probability Core and Quantitative Strategy Analysis for Game Design," aims to help game designers strike this balance by using mathematical tools to control randomness in gameplay.
Read MoreMinecraft, originally a popular video game, is now being used to develop advanced artificial intelligence (AI). Its open-ended nature provides a rich environment for AI systems to learn and experiment.
Read MoreIn 1977, archaeologists uncovered a 4,500-year-old board game at the Shahr-i Sokhta site in southeastern Iran, dating to 2600–2400 BCE. The game, featuring 20 circular spaces, 27 geometric pieces, and four dice, offers a glimpse into ancient entertainment.
Read MoreThe rise of digital classrooms is transforming education by making learning more personalized and adaptable to individual needs. Traditional classrooms often use a one-size-fits-all approach, but digital tools like learning management systems, adaptive algorithms, and interactive content enable students to learn at their own pace, with real-time adjustments based on their performance.
Read MoreTabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) heavily rely on dice and probability, yet the impact of dice mechanics on gameplay has not been deeply explored academically. This article compares combat effectiveness across TTRPG systems, examining how probability and dice mechanics influence character success.
Read MoreIn the 1990s, video games were viewed with skepticism, often associated with negative outcomes. However, over time, video games have evolved, shifting from single-player experiences to live service games designed to keep players engaged for long periods, often through psychological techniques and in-game purchases like loot boxes.
Read MoreDr. Angela Chia-Chen Chen, a physician at MSU, developed an engaging mobile game called "HPV Detective" to educate patients about the HPV vaccine. Recognizing that many patients ignore traditional health brochures and flyers, Dr. Chen aimed to meet them where they are—on their devices.
Read MoreThis paper explores how Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) integrates the vampire tradition, particularly through the character of Strahd von Zarovich, while challenging its own mechanics. It examines how D&D’s alignment system, morality, and agency interact with and complicate the portrayal of vampires, specifically Strahd, in comparison to literary figures like Dracula.
Read MoreEvery November, the small town of Mirano, Italy, celebrates St. Martin’s Day with a quirky tradition called the Zogo dell’Oca, or "goose game." This event transforms the central square into a giant board game, where teams in striped jerseys compete in bizarre challenges, all dressed in 19th-century attire.
Read MoreIn The Rule Book: The Building Blocks of Games, Jaakko Stenros and Markus Montola explore the foundational aspects of games through a constructionist ludology lens. They introduce five categories of rules—formal, internal, social, external regulation, and material rules—to analyze game structures.
Read MoreSerious games are designed for purposes beyond entertainment, helping players learn important topics like climate change, health management, and safety practices. For example, a modified "Mario Bros" game teaches children about managing type-1 diabetes.
Read MoreChahd Ourhani, an eighth grader at Joseph H. Brensinger PS 17, found augmented reality (AR) lessons more engaging and effective for learning math concepts like slope compared to traditional methods. Her teacher, Jack Maher, incorporates AR, VR, and gamification into lessons, using free online resources from Verizon Innovative Learning HQ.
Read MoreEducational, serious, learning, and transformational games each serve unique purposes in game design. Educational games focus on imparting knowledge, typically used in formal settings to reinforce curriculum content. Serious games address real-world issues, often for training or policy simulation.
Read MoreIn the 1970s, a 4,500-year-old complete board game was discovered in a grave in Shahr-i Sokhta, Iran, making it the oldest of its kind. The game includes a board with 20 circular spaces, four dice, and 27 geometric pieces.
Read MoreSelf-help books often focus more on profit than practical advice, but gamification offers a proven alternative for achieving goals. By using variable reward systems, like those in casino gambling, people become highly motivated to repeat behaviors, fostering habit formation.
Read MoreGamification, the integration of game-like elements into education and training, has gained significant popularity for boosting engagement and motivation. By incorporating rewards, milestones, and challenges, gamified systems foster competition, achievement, and recognition, which in turn increases productivity and retention.
Read MoreAt 40, Tim Clare was diagnosed with autism, and he reflects on how his lifelong love of board games helped him navigate a world that often felt confusing. Games provided structure and a way to connect with others, filling social gaps and reducing anxiety.
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