A Literature Review of the Field of Serious Games

1: Introduction The video game industry is often considered to be a small and relatively insignificant niche in today's consumer and entertainment world. Although this perception may have held up in the 1990's, it is becoming increasingly clear that video games are a significant (and growing) part of the daily lives of many individuals. Many statistics show this surge of video game culture: – Sixty-five percent of American households play computer or video games. – The average game player is 35 years old and has been playing games for 13 years. – Sixty-three percent of parents believe games are a positive part of their children's lives. – In 2006, the entertainment software industry's value added to U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was $3.8 billion. The industry also makes a disproportionate contribution to the real growth of the nation as whole. For example, in 2005-06 the industry's contribution to real growth exceeded its share of GDP by more than four to one. – Computer and video game companies posted records sales in 2007. The industry sold 267.8 million units, leading to an astounding $9.5 billion in revenue. [1] These statistics, which are a subset of a larger and more impressive list, are evidence that video games are becoming a part of American culture that cannot be ignored. In fact, people who play video games have been known to spend more than 100 hours playing a single game (not in one sitting of course). Thus, video games provide an opportunity to contribute to an important element of education in which most modern pedagogical strategies fail...motivation and engagement. People play video games because they are fun and engaging. If these games could communicate worthwhile knowledge, while maintaining the entertaining properties that made them popular, then the learning gains could be significant. Many researchers are beginning to look into the promise of using video games as an educational tool. This new field has been coined " Serious Games ". Although the field is extremely young, there are many exciting projects, which together will help us determine how, when, and for whom the use of serious games is most effective. This paper's purpose is to provide readers with a review of the literature in the field of serious games. The paper's reviewed range in focus, from descriptions of developing research games, to theoretical design issues, to practical issues regarding serious games' use in schools. This …