serious games
Learning through play
Serious games are games designed for purposes beyond entertainment—education, training, health, social change, or corporate objectives.
Flight simulators train pilots, language apps gamify vocabulary acquisition, and military exercises prepare soldiers for combat scenarios.
The term distinguishes these from games played purely for fun, though serious games often incorporate enjoyable elements to increase engagement: The company uses serious games for employee onboarding.
- pedagogyArt of instruction
- gamificationAdding play mechanics elsewhere
- learningGaining knowledge gradually
- adaptive learningInstruction adjusting to learner
- skill buildingAcquiring proficiency over time
flight simulators · virtual reality · cultural preservation · civic engagement · rehabilitation · ethical decision-making · interactive storytelling · workplace safety · emergency response · activism · data collection · cognitive skills · decision making · diversity training · military training · neuroplasticity · game engines · behavioral studies
serious gamescasual games
Simple, accessible interactive entertainment
arcade games · party games · idle games · mobile games · video games