A deep dive into the world of impact games

From the dynamic universe of Roblox to the undeniably addictive Candy Crush saga and the daily puzzle challenge of Wordle, games have an unparalleled ability to engage us and hold our attention. At their core, games are entertaining. They immerse us in their vibrant worlds, they take us on journeys and adventures through their stories and they captivate us. However, games can offer so much more than just entertainment and fun. 

Games have a unique ability to effectively educate, inspire, and shift attitudes and behaviour in ways that few other mediums can match. Perhaps you are familiar with the terms 'serious games’ or ‘Games for change’. Both refer to games that are immediately recognisable for their educational value or cause-oriented approach and both fall under the umbrella term of what we call, ‘Impact Games’. 

Let’s unpack that further.

What are impact games?

A game that goes beyond entertainment - that’s an impact game. A game that is purposefully designed to tackle a particular challenge - that’s an impact game. Whether it's to teach us, train us, mobilise us around a cause, or empower communities, all impact games share a common goal: to improve the lives of users and to ultimately drive positive change in the world. 

Impact games can take on a huge variety of different forms and their application across sectors of society is incredibly widespread. From the highly regulated financial services sector to healthcare to retail brands and beyond, impact games are carving out new and innovative realities to serve business needs and address social issues by tapping into the power of play. 

As an initial step into the vast world of impact games, let’s explore a few examples.

Blending entertainment with implicit learning

Released on the app store in 2012, the widely popular mobile game "Dumb Ways to Die'' (DWTD) started life as a rail safety initiative for Metro Trains Melbourne before transcending its initial purpose to become a global phenomenon (with a fantastic theme song). In DWTD, players are transported into the whimsical realm of animated beans, known for their impulsive and carefree nature. Through a series of humorous and absurd scenarios, players must save and protect the beans from the dangers of the world. 

Cleverly mirroring our own risky and thoughtless behaviours, the game serves as a playful yet striking reminder of the importance of safety consciousness, and a cautionary tale against the neglect of common safety precautions. Its seamless blend of entertainment and implicit learning is what makes DWTD a powerful tool to get people thinking and talking about their safety and why you really shouldn’t stick your fork into a plugged-in toaster! 

Whilst DWTD sits on the more lighthearted side of the spectrum, impact games intended to raise awareness about real-world threatening scenarios have also been developed for other use cases.

OK Groomer for example was designed with the primary purpose of helping kids recognise online predators and educating them on how to report them. Created by VML for Child Focus (the Belgian Center for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children), OK Groomer responds to the need to improve the safety of young people on the internet and in online virtual playgrounds where kids are spending more and more of their time. Launched on the extremely popular Roblox platform in order to make it accessible for the target audience, the game encourages kids to identify potential grooming tactics and block suspicious profiles whilst earning coins as they go which they can exchange for ‘groomer-repelling skins’. 

Ultimately, the game empowers players with the skills needed to identify and take action against potentially dangerous online behaviour in order to equip them in the fight against online groomers. With its intended integration into school curricula to further its reach and effectiveness, OK Groomer is a great example of how impact games can help kids build and develop crucial life skills and habits in a relevant and meaningful way. 

So much more than child’s play

Like all games, impact games are not exclusively intended for young audiences. Given our natural inclination to learn through play as human beings, impact games have also been deployed to drive explicit learning outcomes and skill development for adults in the workplace. FishFORCE, a recent browser-based game developed by us, here at Sea Monster for example, simulates at-port vessel inspections in order to help train fisheries control officers who protect the ports and marine resources along the coasts of Southern Africa. Created for the Nelson Mandela University and their FishFORCE academy, the game transforms training procedures into a detective experience underpinned by fun and curiosity where players must explore virtual fishing ships, inspect documentation, and interview crew members to uncover potential risks and violations associated with fisheries crime. 

As a digital training tool, the FishFORCE game serves to supplement the traditional methods of teaching used by the academy and demonstrates the effectiveness of a learning experience delivered through an engaging and immersive digital game as opposed to a large written manual or textbook. It is in the same vein that games like Nestlums and Chow Town have been developed to teach critical financial literacy skills and inspire entrepreneurship. It’s also why Causa Creations developed Rising Tide to arm teenagers and young adults with the knowledge needed to fight for climate protection, and why Arte France teamed up with The Pixel Hunt to create Bury Me My Love to highlight the refugee crisis in order to drive more empathy, and advocate for action to help - impact games are the ultimate teaching and communication tool of our time. 

Just the tip of the iceberg

From educating about crucial topics to advocating for social change and everything in between, impact games are intentionally designed to leverage the entertaining and experiential attributes of gaming to get us to lean in and engage with our world in a new and meaningful way.

If you’re looking for your own unique way to make your message heard and better connect with your audience, maybe what you need is an impact game.

Whether you’re after a bespoke training tool for your business, a gamified campaign companion to make your message heard or you’re on the hunt for a partner to help you venture into the metaverse, the Sea Monster team is here to help tackle your challenge and transform your vision into reality.

Contact us today to create something new together! 

‍