Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A Brief History of Serious Games

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Entertainment Computing and Serious Games

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 9970))

Abstract

Serious Games are now an established field of study. In this field most would attribute the rise of Serious Games to Clark C Abt’s creation of the term in 1970, or indeed Ben Sawyer’s popularization of it in 2002. However, considering the rich history of purposing non-digital games, itself preceded by discussions of purposing play that are traceable to the work of Plato, it can be said that Serious Games is a contemporary manifestation of centuries old theories and practices. In this chapter, we explore the pre-history of Serious Games, beginning with the suggested purpose, and purposing of play. Throughout this historical review we identify key in research and practice that are apparent in the contemporary Serious Games field.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Based on number of Citations from 1970 to 1990 compared with 1991 to 2016.

References

  1. Avedon, M.E., Sutton-Smith, B.: The Study of Games. Ishi Press International, California (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Cohen, D.: The Development of Play, 3rd edn. Routledge, London (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Parlett, D.S.: Oxford History of Board Games. Oxford University Press, Oxford (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Huizinga, J.: Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play-Element in Culture. Beacon Press, Boston (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Wu, W.H., Hsiao, H.C., Wu, P.L., Lin, C.H., Huang, S.H.: Investigating the learning-theory foundations of game-based learning: a meta-analysis. J. Comput. Assist. Learn. 28, 265–279 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. DeSmet, A., Van Ryckeghem, D., Compernolle, S., Baranowski, T., Thompson, D., Crombez, G., Poels, K., Van Lippevelde, W., Bastiaensens, S., Van Cleemput, K., Vandebosch, H., De Bourdeaudhuij, I., Hospital, G., Street, T., Gard, T., Hoge, E.A., Kerr, C.: A meta-analysis of serious digital games for healthy lifestyle promotion. Prev. Med. (Baltim) 69, 95–107 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Mayer, I., Bekebrede, G., Harteveld, C., Warmelink, H., Zhou, Q., Van Ruijven, T., Lo, J., Kortmann, R., Wenzler, I.: The research and evaluation of serious games: toward a comprehensive methodology. Br. J. Educ. Technol. 45, 502–527 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Abt, C.C.: Serious Games. University Press of America (1987)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Jenkins, H.: The Wow Climax: Tracing the Emotional Impact of Popular Culture. New York University Press, New York (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  10. Duke, R.D.: Gaming, the Future’s Language. Wiley, New York (1974)

    Google Scholar 

  11. D’Angour, A.: Plato and play: taking education seriously in ancient Greece. Am. J. Play 5, 293–307 (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Wood, W.: Children’s Play and Its Place in Education. Routledge, New York (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Wang, S., Aamodt, S.: Play, stress, and the learning brain. Cerebrum 2012, 12 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Salen, K., Zimmerman, E.: Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. The MIT Press, Cambridge (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  15. Juul, J.: The magic circle and the puzzle piece. In: Conference Proceedings of the Philosophy of Computer Games 2008, pp. 56–67 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Rodriguez, H.: The playful and the serious: an approximation to Huizinga’s Homo Ludens. Game Studies 6 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Klopfer, E., Osterweil, S., Salen, K.: Moving learning games forward. Flora. 3, 58 (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  18. Remmele, B., Whitton, N.: Disrupting the magic circle: the impact of negative social gaming behaviours. In: Psychology, Pedagogy, and Assessment in Serious Games, pp. 111–126. IGI Global (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  19. Montola, M.: Exploring the edge of the magic circle: defining pervasive games. In: Proceedings of DAC, p. 103 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Franzwa, C., Tang, Y., Johnson, A.: Serious game design: motivating students through a balance of fun and learning. In: 2013 5th International Conference on Games and Virtual Worlds for Serious Applications (VS-GAMES), pp. 1–7. IEEE (2013)

    Google Scholar 

  21. Vygotsky, L.: Interaction between learning and development. In: Gauvain, M., Cole, M. (eds.) Readings on the Development of Children, vol. 23, pp. 34–41. Scientific American Books, New York (1978)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Schwartzman, H.: Transformations: The Anthropology of Children’s Play. Springer Science & Business Media, New York (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Lillard, A.S., Lerner, M.D., Hopkins, E.J., Dore, R.A., Smith, E.D., Palmquist, C.M.: The impact of pretend play on children’s development: a review of the evidence. Psychol. Bull. 139, 1 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Flanagan, M., Nissenbaum, H.: Values at Play in Digital Games. MIT Press, Cambridge (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  25. Saomya, S.: Kurt Squire on civic engagement through digital games. https://edtechreview.in/e-learning/558-civic-engagement-through-digital-games

  26. Verenikina, I., Harris, P., Lysaght, P.: Child’s play: computer games, theories of play and children’s development. In: Proceedings of the International Federation for Information Processing Working Group 3.5 Open Conference on Young Children and Learning Technologies, vol. 34, pp. 99–106 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Prensky, M.: Don’t Bother Me Mom, I’m Learning! How Computer and Video Games are Preparing Your Kids for Twenty-First Century Success and How You Can Help!. Paragon House, St. Paul (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Gee, J.P.: What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Goffman, E.: Replies and responses. Lang. Soc. 5, 257–313 (1976)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Caillois, R., Barash, M.: Man, Play, and Games. University of Illinois Press, Champaign (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  31. Erikson, E.H.: Childhood and Society, 2nd edn. W. W. Norton, New York (1963)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Detrick, S.: A Commentary on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, The Hague (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  33. Buckingham, D.: After the Death of Childhood. Blackwell, Oxford (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Buckingham, D., Chronaki, D.: Saving the children? (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Gee, J.P.: Learning and games. In: The Ecology of Games: Connecting Youth, Games, and Learning, pp. 21–40 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  36. Gaskins, S., Haight, W., Lancy, D.F.: The cultural construction of play. In: Göncü, A., Gaskins, S. (eds.) Play and Development: Evolutionary, Sociocultural, and Functional Perspectives, pp. 179–202 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Department for Education: Working Together, Achieving More. London (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Djaouti, D., Alvarez, J., Jessel, J., Rampnoux, O.: Origins of serious games. In: Ma, M., Okionomou, A., Jain, L.C. (eds.) Serious Games Edutainment Application, pp. 25–43. Springer, New York (2011)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  39. Ritterfeld, U., Cody, M., Vorderer, P.: Serious Games: Mechanisms and Effects. Routledge, New York (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  40. Fisher, K.R., Hirsh-Pasek, K., Golinkoff, R.M., Gryfe, S.G.: Conceptual split? Parents’ and experts’ perceptions of play in the 21st century. J. Appl. Dev. Psychol. 29, 305–316 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Froebel, F.: The Education of Man. A. Lovell & Company, New York (1885)

    Google Scholar 

  42. Landreth, G.L.: Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship. Routledge, New York (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  43. Martins, T., Carvalho, V., Soares, F., Moreira, M.F.: Serious game as a tool to intellectual disabilities therapy: total challenge. In: 2011 IEEE 1st International Conference on Serious Games and Applications for Health (SeGAH), pp. 1–7. IEEE (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  44. Prensky, M.: Digital Game-Based Learning. McGraw-Hill, New York (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  45. Roos, J., Roos, M.: Play is the key. In: Thinking from Within, pp. 25–40. Springer (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  46. Rogers, C.R., Dorfman, E.: Client-Centered: Its Current Practice, Implications, and Theory. ICON Group International (1951)

    Google Scholar 

  47. Axline, V.M.: Play therapy experiences as described by child participants. J. Consultation Psychol. 14, 53 (1950)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Crenshaw, D.A., Kenney-Noziska, S.: Therapeutic presence in play therapy. Int. J. Play Ther. 23, 31 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Horne-Moyer, H.L., Moyer, B.H., Messer, D.C., Messer, E.S.: The use of electronic games in therapy: a review with clinical implications. Curr. Psychiatry Rep. 16, 1–9 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Sherlock, L.: Toward a rhetoric of serious game genres. In: Interdisciplinary Models and Tools for Serious Games: Emerging Concepts and Future Directions, vol. 50 (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  51. Brahnam, S., Brooks, A.L.: Two innovative healthcare technologies at the intersection of serious games, alternative realities, and play therapy. Stud. Health Technol. Inf. 207, 153–162 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  52. Wilkinson, N., Ang, R.P., Goh, D.H.: Online video game therapy for mental health concerns: a review. Int. J. Soc. Psychiatry 54, 370–382 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Gardner, J.E.: Can the Mario Bros. help? Nintendo games as an adjunct in psychotherapy with children. Psychother. Theory Res. Pract. Train. 28, 667 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  54. Barrett, M.S., Gershkovich, M.: Computers and psychotherapy: are we out of a job? Psychotherapy 51(2), 220–223 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Sutton-Smith, B.: The Ambiguity of Play. Harvard University, Cambridge (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  56. Misuraca, G.: Digital Games for Empowerment and Inclusion (DGEI) D3 Final Vision and Roadmap A Roadmap for Action on Digital Games for Empowerment and Inclusion in Europe A Report of the Study, pp. 1–20 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  57. Klimmt, C.: Serious games and social change why they (should) work. In: Ritterford, M. (ed.) Serious Games: Mechanisms and Effects, pp. 249–270. Routledge, New York (2009)

    Google Scholar 

  58. Martin, G., Steuter, E.: Pop Culture Goes to War: Enlisting and Resisting Militarism in the War on Terror. Lexington Books, Lanham (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  59. Turkle, S.: The Second Self. MIT Press, Cambridge (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  60. Connolly, T.M., Boyle, E.A., Macarthur, E., Hainey, T., Boyle, J.M.: Computers & education a systematic literature review of empirical evidence on computer games and serious games. Comput. Educ. 59, 661–686 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  61. McGlarty, K.L., Orr, A., Frey, P.M., Dolan, R.P., Vassileva, V., McVay, A.: A literature review of gaming. In: Gaming Education, pp. 1–36 (2012)

    Google Scholar 

  62. Culin, S.: Retrospect of the Folk-Lore of the Columbian exposition. J. Am. Folklore 7, 51–59 (1894)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  63. Holmes, W.H.: Twentieth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology, 1898–1899 (1903)

    Google Scholar 

  64. Sutton-Smith, B.: The kissing games of adolescents in Ohio. Midwest Folklore 9, 189–211 (1959)

    Google Scholar 

  65. Opie, I.A., Opie, P.: Children’s Games in Street and Playground: Chasing, Catching, Seeking, Hunting, Racing, Duelling, Exerting, Daring, Guessing, Acting, Pretending. Clarendon Press, Oxford (1969)

    Google Scholar 

  66. Sinclair, B.: Serious games stigmatized in and out of the industry, says Schell

    Google Scholar 

  67. DiCebro, K.: Taking Serious Games Seriously in Education

    Google Scholar 

  68. Juul, J.: Games telling stories. Game Stud. 1, 45 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  69. Susi, T., Johannesson, M., Backlund, P.: Serious games: An overview (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  70. Wolfe, J., Crookall, D.: Developing a scientific knowledge of simulation/gaming. Simul. Gaming 29, 7–19 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  71. Kolb, D.A.: Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. FT Press, Englewood Cliffs (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  72. Crookall, D.: Serious games, debriefing, and simulation/gaming as a discipline. Simul. Gaming. 41, 898–920 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  73. Bogost, I.: How to do things with videogames. Univertiy of Minnesota Press (2011)

    Google Scholar 

  74. Squire, K., Jenkins, H.: Harnessing the power of games in education. Insight 3, 5–33 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  75. Van Eck, R.: Digital game-based learning: it’s not just the digital natives who are restless. Educ. Rev. 41, 16–30 (2006)

    Google Scholar 

  76. Kahne, J., Middaugh, E., Evans, C.: The Civic Potential of Video Games. MIT Press, Cambridge (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  77. Young, M.F., Slota, S., Cutter, A.B., Jalette, G., Mullin, G., Lai, B., Simeoni, Z., Tran, M., Yukhymenko, M.: Our princess is in another castle: a review of trends in serious gaming for education. Rev. Educ. Res. 82, 61–89 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  78. Boocock, S.S., Schild, E.: Simulation Games in Learning. Sage Publications, California (1968)

    Google Scholar 

  79. Smith, R.: The long history of gaming in military training. Simul. Gaming 41, 6–19 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  80. Groff, J., Howells, C., Cranmer, S.: The Impact of Console Games in the Classroom: Evidence from Schools in Scotland. Futurelab, Bristol (2010). Learning 98

    Google Scholar 

  81. Kent, S.: The Ultimate History of Video Games: from Pong to Pokemon and Beyond: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched Our Lives and Changed the World. Three Rivers Press, New York (2010)

    Google Scholar 

  82. Stone, R.J.: Serious gaming—virtual reality’s saviour. In: Proceedings of Virtual Systems and MultiMedia Annual Conference, VSMM, pp. 773–786 (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  83. Harris, J.L., Speers, S.E., Schwartz, M.B., Brownell, K.D.: US food company branded advergames on the internet: children’s exposure and effects on snack consumption. J. Child. Media 6, 51–68 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  84. Griffiths, M.: The therapeutic use of videogames in childhood and adolescence. Clin. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 8, 547–554 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  85. Griffiths, M.: Video games and clinical practice: issues, uses and treatments. Br. J. Clin. Psychol. 36, 639–642 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  86. Spence, J.: The use of computer arcade games in behaviour management. Mal. Ther. Educ. 6, 64–68 (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  87. Loftus, G.R., Loftus, E.F.: Mind at Play: The Psychology of Video Games. Basic Books, Inc., New York (1983)

    Google Scholar 

  88. Turkle, S.: Video games and computer holding power. In: The Second Self: Computers and the Human Spirit, pp. 64–92 (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  89. Chen, J.: Flow in games and everything else. Commun. ACM 50, 31–34 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  90. Bowman, N.D., Weber, R., Tamborini, R., Sherry, J.: Facilitating game play: how others affect performance at and enjoyment of video games. Media Psychol. 16, 39–64 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  91. Malone, T.: What Makes Things Fun to Learn? A Study of Intrinsically Motivating Video Games. Palo Alto (1980)

    Google Scholar 

  92. Howard-Jones, P.: Neuroscience and Education: Issues and Opportunities. Seminar Series 28 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  93. Richter, G., Raban, D.R., Rafaeli, S.: Studying gamification: the effect of rewards and incentives on motivation. In: Reiners, T., Wood, L.C. (eds.) Gamification in Education and Business, pp. 21–46. Springer, Switzerland (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  94. Nagle, A., Wolf, P., Riener, R., Novak, D.: The use of player-centered positive reinforcement to schedule in-game rewards increases enjoyment and performance in a serious game. Int. J. Ser. Games 1, 35–47 (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  95. Papert, S.: Does easy do it? Children, games, and learning. Game Dev. Mag. (1988)

    Google Scholar 

  96. Egenfeldt-Nielsen, S.: Third generation educational use of computer games. J. Educ. Multimedia Hypermedia 16, 263 (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  97. Bruckman, A.: Can Educational Be Fun? (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  98. Chen, S.: Facing edutainment’s dark legacy. http://www.gamesandlearning.org/2016/01/25/facing-edutainments-dark-legacy/

  99. Reiber, L.: Seriously Considering play. Educ. Technol. Res. Dev. 44, 43–58 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  100. Cordova, D.I., Lepper, M.R.: Intrinsic motivation and the process of learning: beneficial effects of contextualization, personalization, and choice. J. Educ. Psychol. 88, 715 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  101. Garris, R., Ahlers, R., Driskell, J.E.: Games, motivation, and learning: a research and practice model. Simul. Gaming 33, 441–467 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  102. Arnab, S., Lim, T., Carvalho, M.B., Bellotti, F., De Freitas, S., Louchart, S., Suttie, N., Berta, R., De Gloria, A.: Mapping learning and game mechanics for serious games analysis. Br. J. Educ. Technol. 46, 391–411 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  103. Gunter, G.A., Kenny, R.F., Vick, E.H.: Taking educational games seriously: using the RETAIN model to design endogenous fantasy into standalone educational games. Educ. Technol. Res. Dev. 56, 511–537 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  104. Bedwell, W.L., Pavlas, D., Heyne, K., Lazzara, E.H., Salas, E.: Toward a taxonomy linking game attributes to learning: an empirical study. Simul. Gaming 43, 729–760 (2012)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  105. Aarseth, E.: Computer game studies, year one. Game Stud. 1, 1–15 (2001)

    Google Scholar 

  106. Clements, M.T., Ohashi, H.: Indirect network effects and the product cycle: video games in the US, 1994–2002. J. Ind. Econ. 53, 515–542 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  107. Howell, K.: Games for health conference 2004: issues, trends, and needs unique to games for health. CyberPsychology Behav. 8, 103–109 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  108. Michael, D.R., Chen, S.L.: Serious Games: Games that Educate, Train, and Inform. Muska & Lipman/Premier-Trade, Roseville (2005)

    Google Scholar 

  109. Zyda, M.: From visual simulation to virtual reality to games. Computer 38, 25–32 (2005). (Long. Beach. Calif)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  110. Wittgenstein, L., Anscombe, G.E.M., Hacker, P.M.S., Schulte, J.: Philosophische Untersuchungen: Philosophical Investigations. Wiley-Blackwell, New York (2009)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Centre for Excellence in Media Practice, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth, UK

    Phil Wilkinson

Authors
  1. Phil Wilkinson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Phil Wilkinson .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. RheinMain University of Applied Sciences , Wiesbaden, Germany

    Ralf Dörner

  2. Technische Universität Darmstadt , Darmstadt, Germany

    Stefan Göbel

  3. TU Graz , Graz, Austria

    Michael Kickmeier-Rust

  4. University of Duisburg-Essen , Duisburg, Germany

    Maic Masuch

  5. TU Kaiserslautern , Kaiserslautern, Germany

    Katharina Zweig

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing AG

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Wilkinson, P. (2016). A Brief History of Serious Games. In: Dörner, R., Göbel, S., Kickmeier-Rust, M., Masuch, M., Zweig, K. (eds) Entertainment Computing and Serious Games. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9970. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46152-6_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46152-6_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-46151-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-46152-6

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation