A 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.
Read MoreTabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) have surged in popularity since their 1970s origins, often drawing from fantasy and medieval themes. Medievalist Thom Gobbitt explores how TTRPGs can portray and teach about the early Middle Ages.
Read MoreA recent study led by UC Riverside psychologist Kate Sweeny found that playing Tetris can help reduce anxiety and boost emotional well-being by inducing a state of flow—a focused mental state where worries fade. In the experiment, 290 students played Tetris while anxiously waiting for peer feedback.
Read MoreThis study highlights a significant lack of diversity in the board game industry, particularly among top-ranked BoardGameGeek (BGG) games. White males dominate both game design and illustration roles, and cover art overwhelmingly features white, male imagery, misrepresenting real-world demographics.
Read MoreToday's students are digital natives who learn best through interactivity, yet gaming is still undervalued in many classrooms. Educational games harness problem-solving, experimentation, and collaboration—mirroring natural learning behaviors.
Read MoreAfter the COVID-19 pandemic, the author created N.O.V.E.L., an educational board game about vaccines. The design emphasized early collaboration with experts, ensuring scientific accuracy from the start. The game was tailored for real classrooms, with short, modular phases, alignment with curriculum standards, and easy-to-use teacher resources.
Read MoreThe U.S. defense community is increasingly drawn to integrating AI, simulations, and data modeling into military wargames, hoping to boost analytical rigor. However, experts caution that over-reliance on technology can distort wargaming’s core purpose: exploring human decision-making in complex, uncertain scenarios.
Read MoreGlobal tensions have increased interest in tabletop war-games, especially simulations of a potential Chinese blockade of Taiwan. At a Washington think tank, experts—many with access to classified information—play out these scenarios to explore strategic, military, and economic outcomes.
Read MoreGreenpeace has criticized Equinor for promoting fossil fuels through its UK school game, EnergyTown, which suggests renewables like wind and solar are less reliable than oil, gas, or nuclear. The game, part of Equinor’s Wonderverse education program, aims to teach students about energy and STEM skills.
Read MoreJob hunting today feels dehumanizing for young professionals, who face outdated hiring systems focused on risk reduction over potential. Gen Z, fluent in digital interaction, is filtered out by resume scanners and ignored by non-responsive employers. This mismatch—an experience gap—creates frustration and discouragement.
Read MoreUniversity of Queensland PhD scholar Achintha Abayasiri is researching how virtual reality (VR) games, such as VR table tennis, can make balance rehabilitation more enjoyable and effective. Using a VR headset, participants played while standing on a treadmill, with deliberate visual challenges to test and improve their balance.
Read MoreA study by researchers at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) found that commercial video games like Human Resource Machine and 7 Billion Humans can enhance beginners’ confidence and learning in programming courses.showed increased interest, self-efficacy, and understanding of computational thinking.
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