In Week 8, we discussed serious games and educational games. However, the “serious games” we covered– SPENT, Never Alone, and We Are Chicago— were all intended to educate the player. These games may not teach the sort of things we consider necessary for school curriculum, but they are still, fundamentally, educational games. So why do we consider them to be different?
So-called serious games may be differentiated simply for their tone. These games tend to have a more mature, non-comedic perspective, and they focus more on the information or experience they’re trying to convey rather than entertainment. However, there are many educational games that teach math or vocabulary which aren’t especially comedic or entertaining. Yes, many games like this try to make memorization or practicing skills more fun than they would otherwise be. But so do serious games. Playing a game like SPENT is certainly more fun than experiencing the reality of going paycheck-to-paycheck, and it’s a more interesting way to learn about that reality than listening to someone lecture about it.
Another difference could be the intended age range. “Serious games” are for adults, while “educational games” are for children. But if this were the case, then many serious games feel too simplistic for their intended audience. For instance, We Are Chicago teaches a lesson that isn’t all that relevant to most adults, nor does it offer much moral perspective beyond a basic good/bad structure. It works better when considered as a tool to help children and teenagers understand lives different from their own, or to reflect on some of the social pressures they may be facing if their lives are similar to the protagonist. On the other hand, if educational games are meant for kids, then there are many educational games trying to teach higher-level math than they should. Instead, both serious and educational games can apply to a wide variety of age ranges.
In the games that we covered, serious games tended to have a more realistic and less colorful aesthetic, whereas the examples of educational games were often more cartoony. If this is the only basis for the serious vs. educational divide, then there is no real divide at all; genres are not defined by what they look like. In that case, the “serious” aspect of serious games should only be mentioned in the same way other aesthetics are. If Octopath Traveler is a JRPG adventure game in a retro pixel art style, then We Are Chicago is a first-person narrative game in a serious art style. Of course, saying it like that doesn’t flow very well, but it makes more sense than trying to use “serious” as a genre.
Ultimately, serious games should not be separated from educational games. They are simply a subset of educational games that focus on a different topic, allowing players to develop a wider sense of social and cultural awareness. We only think of them as “serious” because they focus on topics that we often deem unnecessary, or otherwise too difficult, for young learners. But the reality is that most children already have an understanding of social and cultural issues– it is near-impossible for them to be shielded from clashing perspectives on the news, in media, and in their everyday lives. There should be many more games that cross the apparent divide between serious and educational so that children can learn about “serious” topics in a safer environment. It’s important that they are encouraged to learn more about these issues so that they can develop their own perspectives before they actually have to face consequences or decisions surrounding social and cultural issues.
I think the difference mostly comes from what the game focuses on, the game or the plot. Although serious games can be extremely educational and hit deep topics, it doesn’t necessarily center on the lessons it’s trying to teach. Education games don’t use additional plot to add to the story usually, and focus on the education in a more direct fashion. Of course, both are equally useful and valuable to society.
It’s similar to deep movies. Movies can often bring out deeper meanings through their plots and characters, but can still teach valuable lessons. This differs a lot from directly educational films such as documentaries or educational TV shows. I do think maybe a separation can be valuable in allowing the player to choose what they want to focus on, however they can definitely be blended into a similar genre, as we know genres can be super flexible!
You definitely make good points, and I had never considered this type of observation between educational and serious games, so I really appreciate this new perspective!