QUO VADIS SERIOUS GAMES Keynote, Darmstadt, Germany 22 th March ‘13 Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen, PhD CEO, founder Serious Games Interactive

My Background MA Psychology PhD Games & learning Between industry & research Founder of Serious Games Int. Cofounder DIGRA Cofounder of CPH Game Centre Developing games Three series for education +80 client projects

Who are we... Research-based company Using games for more than entertainment Won several awards for our productions First company starting with Unity3D 9 Nationalities | 30 Employees | +80 Projects | 20 Products Current research projects Gala – Network of Excellence for Serious Games SIREN – Conflict resolution for children & adults VISTRA – virtual game-driven assembly line training ETREES – Advanced narrative work-place training C2Learn – Creative learning environment through games STIMULATE – Physics tablet game on Advanced materials UrbanWater – Gamification of water usage to change behavior Background

Agenda How did I get here? What is this talk about? Can tablets solves fundamental problems? How to go beyond current praxis? What is the sweet spot for game-based learning?

My journey  Step 1: We don't really know a lot about (serious) games ( )  Step 2: Serious games are different things, and will not just work ( )  Step 3: Serious games, school and teachers are not good friends ( )  Step 4: Serious games needs to be tailored for school use ( )  Step 5: Nobody really knows how to make serious games ( )  Step 6: We are going to need a bigger boat ( )  Step 7: I build the wrong boat ( ) - GC small hit  Step 8: I build the wrong train ( ) - PH small hit  Steo 9: I build the wrong plane ( ) - Trunky small hit  Step 10 World domination of serious games involves not only me, but a mature and sound market. ( ) - Tablets may be the beginning of this.

Our business approach Flagships Work- for-hire Research

Surviving and growing Don’t build the technology yourself unless you really need to. Don’t let go of your technology; constantly build, test & improve Develop your core team; know who to invest in & who to trust Above all find a niche where you can shine and be unique. Preferable a niche with a geographic hook Combine revenue streams; less dependency on client pipeline Manage ambitions, scale slowly and work hard.

Serious games revenue streams Support funds: EU Media+, Regional Funds Research funds: EU-programs galore, regional and national. Work-for-hire: National start-up, European and then rest of world. Private licenses: Retail and/or digital distribution Educational licenses: Browser-based online and & CD-ROM Technology licensing: Seat, source-code or hosting Other: Ads-based, customer knowledge, eyeballs?

Serious games revenue streams Private market: Pc was struggling prior to financial crisis (not improved). Channels crowded & retail takes the majority Gate keepers careful & conservative Only two segments; Nerds (simulations) or children titles (< 8 years). Educational market (primary/secondary/Higher): Theoretical market w. a lot of substitutes Slow decisions process & adoption of new praxis Curriculum requirements and hardware limitations significant Local markets w. many entry barriers Weak channels & marketing (word-of-mouth) Work-for-hire (military/health/corporate/public) Clear channel Well-defined targets Clear goal Small & well-defined budgets Many requirements & limitations Still difficult to scope & specify up-front

Our business approach Flagship products (long-term) New tech Own control Motivates team Showcases Long projects Slow mone Client projects (short-term) Known/existing tech Little control Experience team Knowledge market Quick iterations Quick money Research (loooong-term) Experimental tech. Unknown control Test new areas for team Knowledge new markets Slow & many iterations Sure money

Agenda How did I get here? What is this talk about? Can tablets solves fundamental problems? How to go beyond current praxis? What is the sweetspot for game-based learning?

Goal Get you to reflect on how we as researchers facilitate a new viable and sound market with game-based learning on tablets in schools. Still room for scepticism but I believe we have seen that game-based learning can work - now we need to figure and when and how. Here tablets are interesting!

Tablets are interesting Graphics - Interface – Gameplay - Business Most importantly ’Less is more’ & ’a micro payment channel’

Agenda What is this talk about? Can tablets solves fundamental problems? How to go beyond current praxis? What is the sweetspot for game-based learning?

“Media will never influence learning” Historically there has been a tendency to state just that also supported by Cuban in 'Oversold and underused'. I think the truth is that it takes a loooong time.

“Teachers – the new black is black” Source: Cuban, 2001

Time Complexity Boards Books Tape Video Computer Laptops Netbooks Smart boards Tablet “Reduced complexity is key”

First time schools charge ahead The success of a new technology relies on the fact that it can be used to conserve existing praxis while offering new opportunities to the dedicated… That is the success of Smart Boards and Tablets - that seems to roll out much more quickly than past educational technology.

“Game-based learning has boring problems..” Top 6 – categories barriers (top1) Source: Egenfeldt-Nielsen, 2011 N= 275

“What teachers see..”  Stable & robust vs. buggy & difficult to maintain  Intuitive interface vs. complex mouse/key board  Active interface vs. passive interface  Transportable vs. stationary  Consumption oriented vs. production orienteered  Lots of free content vs. costly packages A very interesting road that ‘promise’ to solve 58% of problems. But new may arise Tablets not intended for school environemnt

New channel is unique - The long tail

Agenda How did I get here? What is this talk about? Can tablets solves fundamental problems? How to go beyond current praxis? What is the sweet spot for game-based learning?

“Diffusion struggles in educational system” Five attributes can explain 49-87% of the variation in adaption of an innovation. Relative advantage: How much is the innovation perceived as being better than what already exists. Compatibility: How well does the innovation match existing norms, values, needs, expectations and previous experiences? Complexity: How easy is the innovation to use and understand for users? Observability: How easy is it to observe the advantages achieved from adapting the innovation? Trialability: How easy is the innovation to try out and experiments with without going all in? Source: Rogers, 2003

“But tablets may change this” Relative Advantage: A lot of teachers embrace the devices. It’s a new opportunity to get on the wagon. Compatibility: They can fit into classroom very nicely compared to other ICT: Complexity: They are simple to use and maintain. Triability: Try it out with a few devices in a class with a few apps. Observability: Bring it to the next-door teacher in the break.

Agenda How did I get here? What is this talk about? Can tablets solves fundamental problems? How to go beyond current praxis? What is the sweet spot for game-based learning?

“Research is practically non- existent” Don’t know if tablets really do improve things as there is pretty much no research.  Does the touch interface really help kids learn better, more efficient, more engaging?  Do interface transform into new gameplay that help kids learn better?  Does the tablet really improve learning effect compare to other instructional methods and platforms.  Does the tablet really make it easier for teacher to use ICT in class?

“Developers are trying quite hard” Source: Egenfeldt-Nielsen, In review N= 57

“But a lot lose money…” Source: Egenfeldt-Nielsen, In review N= 57

“Designing for tablets” Unforgiving market. Developers have to work hard and constantly update. Otherwise they will have a low star rating sitting. The feedback loop is much more close with users. Less crashing software and quick response. The device affordance is towards smooth interface with high usability that is quick to get started with and get into. No waiting for things to boot in 5 minutes. The room for more complex apps is non-existent

“Designing for tablets” Golden age of computer games in the 1980s where developers and content experts were often the same guy. We see this with a lot of the start-ups now that there is a closer affinity. Not just nerds but educators. += More succesful games?

“Designing for tablets” ”[In 1980s] Mass merchants wanted to deal with no more than 20 suppliers and carry a maximum of 300 titles".. Carly Shyler, 2012 Compare that with maybe titles in the market. We now know that the promising 1980s with edutainment games failed because we failed to build a sustainable market place that could ensure continued innovation and research.

Contact info Company details Serious Games Interactive Ravnsborggade 2-4, 2. floor DK Copenhagen N My details: Simon Egenfeldt-Nielsen | © Serious Games Interactive