Serious Game Arcade

When you ask someone who plays games about serious or educational games there is a common perception that these games are “bad”. From terms like boring, gamification, or forced interaction, we see the reception of serious games caught up in a comparison with commercial counterparts. Yet, whether used for educational, activist, or social purposes, serious games offer a chance to inform audiences on an issue or ask them to explore concepts through playful means. While the industry of serious games continues to grow with countless educational games being made (Laamarti et al., 2014), there are questions as to the efficacy and value of these tools. Are we making games to make them? Are all of these artifacts even games? And perhaps more critically, what can these games offer beyond commercial counterparts?

In the spirit of this year’s CGSA theme of Breaks, we want to take time to rest in the serious games that are being made - however you might apply the term. As a half-day pre-conference, the Serious Game Arcade is a chance to showcase and play existing games, offer feedback on games being designed, and discuss some of the challenges of making games that have some form of serious purpose. 

How can you participate? Join us in person or online by registering for the Zoom Meeting or watching live on YouTube.

Have questions? Send them to info.4@concordia.ca