Video Games in Research

In some research about video games and gaming, you can see the term "serious games" or "serious play".  These are terms that are very familiar in the sciences.  However, the term  "serious games" can be confusing so what are serious games?

In Clinical Simulation (second edition), 2019, serious games are described as:

Serious games are video games aimed toward problem-solving rather than entertainment (see also Chapter 4: Virtual Patients and Serious Games). They use the same media as video games aimed at recreational play. However, serious games can help learners gain a good understanding of a specific topic and sustain the acquisition of complex competencies.

- The Many Faces of Simulation, Serious Games, https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/serious-games

"Gamification"  tends to go hand-in-hand with serious gaming, but just exactly what is it?

"Gamification is the process of using game mechanics, elements and principles and applying them to non-game contexts to engage users better... The point of gamification its to inspire uses to engage with the content." -  Ivan Indreev, Valamis

Types of Gamification

Gamification can be used in several different fields some of them are:

• Education
• Business
• Health and Wellness

Links with more information

For more information about gamification and how it can be used, see the following articles:

"Gamification" by Ivan Andreev, Valamis

"What are the different types of Gamification?" by Kamila Palka, easypromos

While many games can be used for educational benefits, serious games and examples of gamification are their own subfield. These are games specifically designed to teach a new behavior or skill. 

Some examples of serious games are:

Duolingo

Darfur is Dying

That Dragon, Cancer

Futuclass Education

Microsoft Flight Simulator

Some examples of gamification are:

CyberStart

Yousician

Chore Wars

Duolingo