Definition
Serious games can be defined as those games that are designed with a purpose that goes beyond pure entertainment. These games are intended to convey ideas and values, facilitate learning, and practice skills. They have the purpose of influencing thoughts and actions in real-life contexts, therefore exceeding the scope of the game itself. Not all scholars agree with the adjective “serious” since these games do not exclude fun; the reason of that label is related with the theme of the contents and the use of these games in sectors such as health care, engineering, education, defense, city planning, or politics. The paradox between playfulness and seriousness can be reflected here: “what is merely play is not serious, and play itself contains its own, even sacred, seriousness” (Gadamer 1979).
An ever growing sector in which serious games are...
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Ouariachi, T., Olvera-Lobo, M.D., Gutiérrez-Pérez, J. (2019). Serious Games and Sustainability. In: Leal Filho, W. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sustainability in Higher Education. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11352-0_326
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