Serious gaming is getting increasingly popular, but it’s not a new invention. Its roots trace back to 18th century Germany, with the transformation of traditional chess into ‘Das Kriegsspiel‘, a game used for military training. Although initially met with skepticism, this innovation marked the beginning of a revolution in training and learning methods. Here, we explore five serious games that have made significant impacts on various fields.
1. Underground: train surgeons in a risk-free environment
Practice makes perfect. However, in some professions, practising skills does not come easy. For surgical training, it’s impossible to practice on patients due to the risk of complications that would bring. So traditional surgical training methods make use of simulators. However, these simulators are expensive and not engaging.
The University Medical Centre Groningen (UMCG) noticed these simulators weren’t used often enough by trainee surgeons. On the other hand: the surgeons enjoyed playing games on their smartphones during their breaks. What if the simulator is transformed into an experience as exciting as Angry Birds?
Objective: to make training for surgeons as fun as Angry Birds
The UMCG and Grendel Games developed the game Underground. In an exciting world, the surgeons play Sari, a brave girl who must free her robot friend Sw4nk from the mines. With a customised laparoscopic controller, the surgeons must complete challenges that simultaneously train their motor skills.
The results of Underground
The implementation of Underground has brought many advantages for both UMCG and the trainee surgeons:
- For the hospital, a serious game is much more affordable than a simulator;
- Surgeons practise more often and therefore, are better prepared;
- Underground’s risk-free training environment and challenging storyline reduce performance pressure – players have a great time while practising;
- The effects of the game are
The serious game ‘Underground’ won the Dutch Game Award twice and has been proclaimed by Forbes as a ‘game that can change the world’.
2. Sea Hero Quest: effective dementia research
‘Sea Hero Quest’ is not just another game on your smartphone. Developed by ‘Deutsche Telekom Alzheimer’s Research UK’ and game developer ‘Glitchers’, it collects invaluable data for dementia research.
Objective: large-scale data collection
While you sail through winding canals in a boat on your way to the next checkpoint, the game is observing your performance. Sea Hero Quest uses a clever technique measuring your navigation abilities, which are among the first skills affected by dementia.
The collected data is used to better understand what ‘standard navigational skills’ are by establishing a baseline. From this baseline, researchers can see when someone’s navigation skills fall below average, which can indicate the onset of dementia.
The results of Sea Hero Quest
Sea Hero Quest has provided researchers with a wealth of data, unveiling early signs of dementia and shedding light on gender differences in navigation skills. Its gamified approach to data collection has proven to be both effective and engaging, with millions of players contributing to scientific research simply by playing the game.
3. Water Battle: safe water by helping cute creatures
Vitens, a water company, developed Water Battle to encourage water conservation in a fun and engaging way. The game involves whimsical water creatures and engages schoolchildren and residents of Leeuwarden to reduce water consumption.
In Water Battle, whimsical water creatures inhabit the water network of Leeuwarden. Their tiny homes frequently flood due to the excessive water consumption by the city’s residents. Schoolchildren join forces with citizens to help save the creatures’ home while learning about water and energy. Citizens can support children by spreading and measuring their water usage through a smart meter and app. As they adjust their behaviour, the water creatures are faced with less flooding.
The results of Water Battle
147 children participated in the pilot project. This led to an average water consumption reduction of 7%. This would save 2.500 litres of water per household per year. Top 10 players reduced their consumption by an impressive 25%.
Water Battle received 3 awards for its innovative and engaging approach to water reduction.
4. EndeavorRX: a video game as a treatment for ADHD
When thinking of medicine, you’re likely to think of pills. American company Akili has proven serious games can function as medicine just as well. After six years of scientific research, they developed the first FDA-approved game to treat children with ADHD: EndeavorRX.
The results of EndeavorRX
EndeavorRX challenges children to fly a craft through obstacle courses, where they must dodge obstacles while collecting rewards. According to research, the game helps improve attention and concentration in one-third of the participating children with ADHD. Additionally, as many as half of the parents reported a positive change in their child.
5. Reducept: reduce chronic pain with virtual reality
When people experience chronic pain, their body continuously sends pain signals to their brain even when it’s not necessary.
Together with Margryt Fennema, health scientist and digital healthcare innovator, and Louis Zantema, medical psychologist, Grendel Games developed a serious game to help patients understand and learn to cope with their pain: Reducept.
The results of Reducept
Virtual reality plays a significant role in Reducept, winner of a World Summit Award. It enables patients to become more aware of the source of their pain. The game also helps patients understand how to manage and reduce their pain through by learning about virtual reality, pain and psychology. Results from Reducept show that patients who play the game experience a significant reduction in chronic pain.
Serious games: endless possibilties!
Since the first attempt 200 years ago, serious games have become incredibly successful. Through research and technological advancements, the possibilities are endless. Serious games have made a significant impact on the world.
When developing a serious game, we combine the best of both worlds: the power of research and our expertise in game development. This combination enables us to make games that are entertaining and effective in accomplishing their goals. In other words: training through gaming. Read here how we do it.
