Digital Games Research Articles

The use of serious digital games to talk about grief and finitude with children: reports on the design and evaluation process of two games

The discussion of grief and loss is often avoided, particularly when it comes to conversations involving children. The COVID-19 pandemic has tragically resulted in the loss of relatives and friends for thousands of children, bringing this topic to the forefront. Parents and caregivers have found themselves compelled to broach the subjects of death and grief with children, aiming to provide them with an understanding of the global events unfolding around them. Yet, such discussions remain steeped in taboo. Literature underscores the significance of addressing children's emotions during times of loss, offering guidance on how to navigate such experiences to mitigate the risk of long-term trauma in adulthood. This project introduces the development of two serious games tailored to assist health professionals in (1) guiding children through grief therapies and (2) initiating discussions about finitude with this specific audience. Using the SemTh methodology, which guides the design and evaluation of therapeutic digital games, a multidisciplinary team comprising Health professionals (psychologists and occupational therapists), as well as Computing professionals collaborated on the creation of these games. Implemented on the RUFUS platform, developed by these authors' research group, this platform utilizes predefined templates to guide the game instantiation. Notably, the project contributed two new templates to the platform: narrative and inverse narrative, enabling the construction of games through storytelling. The new templates on the RUFUS platform were assessed through empirical and analytical studies to allow usability and effectiveness of them.

Review of Noreen Dunnett (2024). Reimaging Boredom in Classrooms through Digital Game Spaces: Sociomaterial Perspectives

Review of Noreen Dunnett (2024). Reimaging Boredom in Classrooms through Digital Game Spaces: Sociomaterial Perspectives

International players’ perceptions of localization in their gameplay experiences

Abstract Game localization is the complex industrial process of adapting digital games linguistically, culturally and technically, seeking to deliver a gameplay experience as close as possible to that of the original. Guided by Livingston’s (2018) Review Analysis methodology combined with thematic analysis, we tap into user reviews of the Taiwanese game Detention (Red Candle Games 2017) in Simplified Chinese, English and Japanese, to gauge and compare player experiences in relation to localization, and explore the scope of review data for player-focused game localization research. Our qualitative analysis implicates culturalization as an impactful underlying factor in shaping the gameplay experience, for which translation issues remain opaque. As long as certain limitations are acknowledged, real-world data such as Steam user reviews provide an alternative source that is high in ecological validity, offering promising scope for future player-focused game localization research towards enriching the international dimension of Games User Research.

Postdigital Game-Based Learning: Complexity, Continuity, and Contingency

AbstractDiscourses that establish the potential learning benefits of digital games for schooling too often focus on learning as a product of relations between student and gameplay, adopting overly deterministic positions that have long been associated with digital technologies and education. This paper draws on ideas from postdigitalism to problematise such narrow conceptualisations of digital game-based learning (DGBL). The analysis of one Australian school’s experience of incorporating digital games into their senior English curriculum provides a break from broad generations and allows a focus on the web of relations within which digital games exist when deployed in formal school contexts. An analytical framework which draws on three ideas emerging from postdigital studies is utilized to explore relations of power through which digital games interact as they are played and studied in schools. This analysis suggests that unitary logics about learning and digital games are insufficient and highlights the importance of engaging with the complexity, continuity and contingency in DGBL contexts to combat the hyperbole that surrounds digital games and education. Postdigital attention on actual instances of digital game deployment reveals the fragility of all knowledge claims about these technologies, contributing to a more critical discourse regarding their potential to impact school learning.

Investigating the mediating role of digital game addiction in the relationship between adolescents’ school belonging and resilience

ABSTRACT Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the mediating role of digital game addiction in the relationship between school belonging and psychological resilience of adolescents in middle school. Considering school belonging together with digital game addiction may help to better understand the risk and protective factors of psychological resilience and to create a comprehensive model of psychological resilience. Method The sample consisted of 316 secondary school students aged between 11 and 14 (M = 12.84), 47.5% (n = 150) female and 52.5% (n = 166) male. Data were collected using a demographic information form and three self-report scales. In addition to descriptive statis- tics, Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Bootstrap Analysis were used to analyses the data. The mediating role of digital game addiction in the relationship between school belonging and resilience was analysed using the Bootstrap method with 5000 resamples. This approach is regarded as providing more accurate results compared to the Sobel test. Results The results of the study show that there are significant positive relationships between school belonging and psychological resilience and negative relationships with digital game addiction. Also, the results of the study revealed that the mediating role of digital game addiction in the effect of school belonging on adolescents’ psychological resilience was statistically significant. Conclusion It was revealed that digital game addiction, which affects both psychological resilience and school belonging, which is a protective factor, in a very negative way, is a mediating variable whose effect should be reduced or eliminated.

Exploring the relationship between learning emotion and cognitive behaviors in a digital game

AbstractPrevious studies have primarily explored the learning effects of digital games on students from a macro perspective, mainly ignoring the fine‐grained dimensions of learners' emotions and cognition during gameplay. To enrich the study of learners' emotions and cognitions in the context of digital games, this paper conducts an empirical study using the self‐developed board game “Connect Four Chess” as a research vehicle. We semi‐automatically identify learners' emotional and cognitive behaviors within this game‐based educational context and explore the relationship between the two. The study demonstrates that high‐level learners maintained a high level of insightful emotion throughout the game, excelled at constructing strategic formations to control more significant chessboard areas, and preferred to reserve powerful pieces until the end to secure a winning advantage. Conversely, low‐level learners exhibit a predominant level of neutral emotion, especially during unrelated behaviors, and struggle to maintain a strategic overview, focusing instead on smaller, immediate gains, which hamper the application of deeper strategies.

From Embodied Abuse to Mass Disruption : Generative, Inter-Reality Threats in Social, Mixed-Reality Platforms

Extended Reality (XR) platforms can expose users to novel attacks including embodied abuse and/or AI attacks-at-scale. The expanded attack surfaces of XR technologies may expose users of shared online platforms to psychological/social and physiological harms via embodied interactions with potentially millions of other humans or artificial humans, causing what we define as an inter-reality attack. The past twenty years have demonstrated how social and other harms (e.g. bullying, assault and stalking) can and do shift to digital social media and gaming platforms. XR technologies becoming more mainstream has led to investigations of ethical and technical consequences of these expanded input surfaces. However, there is limited literature that investigates social attacks, particularly toward vulnerable communities, and how AI technologies may accelerate generative attacks-at-scale. This paper employs human-centred research methods and a harms-centred Cybersecurity framework to co-design a testbed of socio-technical attack scenarios in XR social gaming platforms. It uses speculative fiction to further extrapolate how these could reach attacks-at-scale by applying generative AI techniques. It develops an Inter-Reality Threat Model to outline how actions in virtual environments can impact on the real-world. As AI capability continues to rapidly develop, this paper articulates the urgent need to consider a future where XR-AI attacks-at-scale could become commonplace.

Unlocking the Power of Play: Exploring Key Influences of Digital Game-Based Learning Adoption Among South African Mathematics Teachers

Integrating digital game-based learning (DGBL) into mathematics teaching has gained significant attention for its potential to improve learning outcomes. However, adopting DGBL in mathematics remains challenging, particularly in resource-constrained contexts such as South Africa. Consequently, this study used the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to investigate mathematics teachers’ adoption of DGBL in their classrooms. We interviewed twenty-four primary and secondary school mathematics teachers in the Northern Cape province about their use of DGBL. Inductive thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. The findings revealed that external variables such as language barriers, teachers’ technophobia, parental influence, and students’ limited reading skills negatively influenced teachers’ perceived usefulness of digital games. We also found that the teachers’ attitudes toward DGBL, which were influenced by their positive perception of it, influenced their intention to use digital games for mathematics purposes. The study recommends targeted policy interventions, including the development of multilingual digital tools and comprehensive professional development programs, to enhance the adoption of DGBL among South African mathematics teachers.

Pay-to-play versus hybrid bundling for digital game platforms in digital decarbonization era

Pay-to-play versus hybrid bundling for digital game platforms in digital decarbonization era

Family communication and bi‐dimensional student mental health in adolescents: A serial mediation through digital game addiction and school belongingness

AbstractThe presence of communication within the family can be considered as a protective factor in preventing the development of mental health problems in school by acting as a buffer against mental health problems in adolescents. Thus, this study, which was designed to reveal the potential mechanisms between family communication and bi‐dimensional student mental health (psychological well‐being/distress) in Turkish adolescents, examined the serial mediator role of digital game addiction and school belongingness. The study sample consists of a total of 397 volunteering Turkish adolescents, including 206 girls (51.9%) and 191 boys (48.1%). The participants' ages range from 14 to 17 (M = 14.63 years, SD = 0.60). In this study, a cross‐sectional and explanatory design based on structural equation modeling was used. The main findings of the study are as follows: (1) digital game addiction mediated the relationship between family communication and psychological well‐being/distress, (2) school belongingness mediated the relationship between family communication and psychological well‐being/distress, and (3) the relationship between family communication and psychological well‐being/distress was serially mediated by both digital game addiction and school belongingness.

Digital Gamification Tool (Let's Control Flu) to Increase Vaccination Coverage Rates: Proposal for Algorithm Development.

Influenza represents a critical public health challenge, disproportionately affecting at-risk populations, including older adults and those with chronic conditions, often compounded by socioeconomic factors. Innovative strategies, such as gamification, are essential for augmenting risk communication and community engagement efforts to address this threat. This study aims to introduce the "Let's Control Flu" (LCF) tool, a gamified, interactive platform aimed at simulating the impact of various public health policies (PHPs) on influenza vaccination coverage rates and health outcomes. The tool aligns with the World Health Organization's goal of achieving a 75% influenza vaccination rate by 2030, facilitating strategic decision-making to enhance vaccination uptake. The LCF tool integrates a selection of 13 PHPs from an initial set proposed in another study, targeting specific population groups to evaluate 7 key health outcomes. A prioritization mechanism accounts for societal resistance and the synergistic effects of PHPs, projecting the potential policy impacts from 2022 to 2031. This methodology enables users to assess how PHPs could influence public health strategies within distinct target groups. The LCF project began in February 2021 and is scheduled to end in December 2024. The model creation phase and its application to the pilot country, Sweden, took place between May 2021 and May 2023, with subsequent application to other European countries. The pilot phase demonstrated the tool's potential, indicating a promising increase in the national influenza vaccination coverage rate, with uniform improvements across all targeted demographic groups. These initial findings highlight the tool's capacity to model the effects of PHPs on improving vaccination rates and mitigating the health impact of influenza. By incorporating gamification into the analysis of PHPs, the LCF tool offers an innovative and accessible approach to supporting health decision makers and patient advocacy groups. It enhances the comprehension of policy impacts, promoting more effective influenza prevention and control strategies. This paper underscores the critical need for adaptable and engaging tools in PHP planning and implementation. RR1-10.2196/55613.

PENGEMBANGAN MEDIA PEMBELAJARAN BERBABIS PERMAINAN DIGITAL ”BARET” BERDASARKAN KEMAMPUAN PENALARAN MATEMATIS BERBANTUAN UNITY

Effective education that supports future development is the type of education that focuses on developing students' abilities. Developing digital game-based learning media can be an innovative choice to expand digital media and add variety to the learning process, especially in mathematics education. This digital media development uses the Unity platform and follows the Research and Development (RD) method with the 4D model. The research results show that the development of the "baret" digital game media is very practical, as evidenced by the assessments from media and content experts, and the majority of students also find this media very practical to use in the teaching and learning process.

The Effect of Educational Digital Games on Mathematics Attitude in Primary School

The research on the effect of educational digital games on second-grade students' attitudes towards learning mathematics opens the doors to a new educational approach that will shape the mathematical abilities of the future. This study examines the effect of educational digital games on the attitudes of second-grade primary school students towards learning mathematics. The research study group comprised two branches of second-grade students in the same school in the 2023-2024 academic year. The research was carried out with "pre and post-test design with control group", one of the experimental design types of quantitative research method. The students were divided into 40 experimental groups and 40 control groups. During the research period, the experimental group was made to work from various digital educational programs such as Wordwall, GeoGebra, Derslig. The control group was taught with traditional methods. A 27-item, 5-point Likert-type Mathematics Attitude Scale (MAT) was used as a data collection tool. The scale was applied to both groups of students before and after the experimental application. The data obtained were analysed using the SPSS package program. The pre-test data revealed that the attitude levels of the experimental and control groups were equal. Post-test data showed no significant difference between the experimental and control groups. A positive increase was observed in the pre-test and post-test results of the experimental group. These results were interpreted in different contexts.

Collectivism–Individualism Makes the Relationships Between Digital Games Use and Creativity Different

ABSTRACTWith the increasing popularity of the Internet, there is significant interest among academics and the public in understanding the relationship between the Internet and individual development. However, the association between digital games use and creativity has been a topic of controversy, as highlighted in previous research. This study aimed to investigate the potential moderating effect of cultural backgrounds on the relationship between digital games use and creativity. To examine this hypothesis, a meta‐analysis of 11 papers (51 effect values) was conducted. The findings revealed digital games use was significantly correlated with originality and elaboration, rather than fluency and flexibility. Moreover, the relationship between digital games use and originality was found to be moderated by cultural collectivism–individualism. Specifically, as the level of individualistic culture increased, the strength of the correlation between digital games use and originality gradually diminished. No such moderating effect was observed for other dimensions of creativity. These results hold important theoretical implications for understanding the impact of digital games use on individual cognitive development. Additionally, they provide practical insights for offering sensitive recommendations on how to effectively harness the positive effects of digital games.

An examination of teachers’ views on video games and learning: Establishing the Games and Literacy Education (GALE) scale

Teachers' views impact if and how technologies are integrated into classroom practice, and research demonstrates that digital game-based learning can support student learning across content areas. Yet, quantitative examinations of teachers' views on digital game-based learning in literacy education are limited. This study establishes the Gaming and Literacy Education (GALE) Scale as a reliable and valid measure for examining literacy teachers' perspectives on digital games and learning. The GALE Scale is a 21-item five-factor model created by conducting an exploratory factor analysis with survey data from 516 literacy teachers in the central United States followed by a confirmatory factor analysis with data from another 516 teachers. While participants generally agreed that digital games can support student learning, they reported limited integration of games in their classrooms, and only 12.2% agreed they learned about game-based learning in their teacher preparation program. Given the efficacy of digital game-based learning across disciplines demonstrated in meta-analytic research, literacy teacher education and professional development on effective uses of games in literacy learning are warranted. Further, scholars can utilize the GALE Scale to examine teachers’ views on digital games and literacy learning across time and contexts.

Using Digital Game-Based Learning in Mathematics Education: A Case Study with Teacher Training Students

Using game-based learning (GBL) and digital game-based learning (DGBL) as a teaching and learning environment can be a pedagogical resource and a good strategy in the classroom to support mathematical learning (Santos et al.,2023). Even though primary school teachers are demonstrating strong preferences for using non-digital games instead of digital games to support mathematics instruction, much of the research review literature has focused on learning outcomes associated with digital mathematical games (Russo et al., 2024). In this paper, I conduct a quasi-experiment using an empirical action research method and the same logical problem-solving environment–game-based or digital game-based learning–that I designed and used with two groups of pre-service teacher university students. I tested three digital games with their non-digital equivalent and observed the problem solvers primarily from a qualitative point of view. Most of the participants enjoyed working with both physical cards and digital games, which effectively engaged students in solving the tasks. My findings suggest that students found the task-solving enjoyable in both types of game-based learning and that solving tasks non-digitally with cards could be more flexible for the problem solvers.

The Mediating Role of Normative Beliefs about Aggression on the Relationship between Violent Digital Games and Students’ Aggressive Behaviour

Many adolescents are exposed to violent content in digital games due to their widespread use. Aggression among students is becoming more common throughout the world, including in Jordan. In light of this, the study explored how exposure to violent digital games influences students' aggression. Normative beliefs about aggression (NBAA) are also discussed based on the prediction that this variable mediates the relationships between violent digital games and aggressive behaviour (AB). A cross-sectional study design with 347 randomly selected individuals from Jordanian schools was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences to examine the relationships between variables. The results showed that NBAA and digital games were directly related to AB, and NBAA partially mediated the relationships between violent digital games and AB. This study concluded that violent content in digital games increased aggression. Furthermore, insights were provided into the mechanism behind the impacts of violent digital games on adolescent aggression and suggestions were offered to mitigate aggression.

Rulebook: An Architectural Pattern for Self-Amending Mechanics in Digital Games

<i>Rulebook:</i> An Architectural Pattern for Self-Amending Mechanics in Digital Games

The Role of Digital-Game Based Language Learning in EFL Vocabulary Learning and Retention: A Case Study at a Higher Educational Institute in Oman

This study investigates the role of Digital-Game Based Language Learning (DGBLL) in helping students learn and retain English vocabulary items in a foreign language context. Using a quantitative approach, data was collected from 80 students enrolled in four different levels of the General Foundation Program at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Ibra, Oman. The students were exposed to practice learning the meaning of ten vocabulary items per level using Kahoot and Wordwall games. Three tests were administered: a pre-test in week 1, a post-test after practicing the vocabulary items using the previously mentioned digital games in week 4, and a retention test in week 6. In addition, students’ perceptions regarding the efficacy of DGBLL in the vocabulary learning process were measured via a questionnaire following the post-test. The findings indicated the students’ positive attitudes in terms of utilizing DGBLL as a learning approach to mastering vocabulary regardless of gender or class level. Additionally, the findings demonstrated the effectiveness of DGBLL in vocabulary learning and retention. Hence, the study recommends using digital games to promote vocabulary learning and retention, resulting in a more engaging foreign language educational environment.

Augmenting home entertainment with digitally delivered touch.

In this narrative review, we take a critical look at the various attempts that have been made to augment home (or personal) entertainment experiences via the addition of some form of digitally controlled tactile stimulation. There has been an explosive growth in the market for home entertainment in recent years, and a majority of smartphones and other wearable electronic devices are now touch-enabled. As such, it is important to consider the challenges and potential opportunities for enhanced multisensory entertainment that may result from the introduction of tactile/haptic stimulation in the context of audiovisual digital storytelling and/or gaming. The key technological, financial (and legal), cognitive, and creative/artistic, challenges associated with the tactile augmentation of home entertainment experiences are outlined. Tactile augmentation, in the sphere of both public and personal entertainment, is more likely to succeed when it goes beyond the merely pleonastic vibrotactile reproduction of those interactions/events than can already be seen and/or heard on screen. At the same time, however, it remains uncertain under what conditions immersion in an entertainment experience will be enhanced by the addition of some form of primitive digital tactile stimulation. Ultimately, until a clear usage case can be made for the benefits of introducing a tactile element to home entertainment, it is unlikely to gain traction and switch from being merely a gimmick to more of a valuable element of multisensory storytelling.