Imagine playing a virtual reality video game where you learn how to manage a company’s logistics, sharpen your negotiation skills, and develop critical thinking—all while having fun and leveling up. That’s the potential of serious games.
These technologies aren’t just for entertainment. Many researchers believe in their potential as educational tools. Serious games are designed to help players develop specific skills, from learning new languages and mastering technical knowledge for the workplace to improving soft skills like negotiation and leadership.
What makes serious games unique is their ability to blend fun with a clear educational purpose, taking on different formats. Video games are one of the most common examples, but they can also include simulations, board games, or classroom-based competitive activities.
“Humans have always learned through play. From the moment we’re born, we engage in symbolic play, which helps shape social behavior and the ability to learn. This is an innate potential we have as human beings, and we should take advantage of it. Enjoyment should be a core part of educational design, and serious games help make that happen,” says Virginia Rodés, a researcher in Lifelong Learning at the Innovation Hub Europe, part of the Institute for the Future of Education (IFE).
They’re called serious games because, while they offer fun, entertainment, and the emotional engagement of gameplay, their primary goal is education. They support experiential and self-directed learning, explains Rodés. She has studied the potential of these platforms and has contributed to projects that leverage technologies like virtual reality, simulations, and digital environments to enhance learning.
The Difference Between Gamification and Serious Games
Unlike gamification—where game-like elements or mechanics are applied to educational processes without necessarily turning them into actual games—serious games feature a structured narrative and a digital or physical environment specifically designed for learning, explains Ernesto Armando Pacheco, a researcher at IFE and professor at the School of Engineering and Sciences.
But serious games aren’t just about learning; they also enhance information retention and student engagement.
In one study, researchers analyzed the key attributes of serious games and assessed students’ quality of experience using the EGameFlow scale, which measures eight dimensions: concentration, clarity of objectives, feedback, challenge, autonomy, immersion, social interaction, and knowledge improvement.
A survey of 255 students who participated in a logistics simulation game revealed that the highest-rated attributes were knowledge improvement—meaning the game’s ability to enhance learning and understanding—along with concentration and social interaction, which was linked to collaboration and competition among players.
Building a Serious Game: The Case of LOST
Pacheco, who has developed two games, recalls that the first one, LOST, was born in 2008 when he wanted his engineering students to learn about demand forecasting. He initially sketched out the characteristics of different products in a spreadsheet. Over the years, with the help of students and collaborators, he transformed that data into an interactive experience where players take on the role of factory managers in charge of manufacturing soccer balls.
In 2015, his logistics simulator won awards in two categories at the QS Reimagine Education Awards. That success led to the creation of GOAL (Generating Opportunities for Learning in Logistics), a platform where thousands of users now engage with LOST and another game called PRO GAME, which focuses on production skills.
Additionally, a tool was developed that allows teachers to create their own games for logistics education, enabling more educators to integrate serious games into their teaching.
Applications of Serious Games
Serious games aim to immerse users in a virtual or imaginary environment through narratives that mimic reality while incorporating game dynamics. At the same time, they maintain a connection to the physical world—a balance that is often hard to achieve in traditional classrooms, explains Rodés.
“They allow for risk-free experimentation, especially in simulations. I can test different strategies, make mistakes, and go back to try again. I can see what happens if I take a certain action without facing drastic consequences that could impact my performance. Students really value the ability to make mistakes, play another round, and learn without fear of failure,” says the researcher.
Rodés sees serious games as valuable tools not only for formal education at various levels but also for professional training. They can be used in workplace learning, employee development programs, and entrepreneurship training. Additionally, simulations help professionals practice decision-making in fields like medicine, emergency management, engineering, business, and administration.
There are even studies exploring the use of serious games in mental health treatment, particularly for conditions like depression and stress.
The Challenge of Designing a Serious Game
Developing a serious game requires collaboration from a multidisciplinary team, including experts in education, technology, programming, and instructional design, says Pacheco. The first steps involve defining clear objectives and identifying the knowledge and skills the game aims to teach.
Next comes designing the game mechanics, ensuring the rules are clear, and determining the technical requirements for development.
One of the greatest strengths of serious games is their adaptability—they can be applied to any field of knowledge and evolve alongside emerging technologies. Innovations like artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality are now making it possible to personalize the gaming experience and create more realistic simulations.
“Information technology has driven an incredible boom in serious games. Today, we can play with people from different countries, share experiences, and learn together in a single digital environment,” says Pacheco.
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