Gamifying Social Change

Digital games have proven to be a very effective source of entertainment, education and social change in the recent years. This study aims at investigating the opportunities of using gamification as the tool that fosters participation and civic engagement in the community, especially among young citizens and social disadvantaged groups. The chapter provides a critical review on the way interactive gameplay, storytelling, and reward systems can be developed strategically to instill civic virtues, sensitize individuals about social problems, and motivate them to take actions in the real world. The chapter evaluates the limits to which game-based interventions affect civic knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors using the mixed-methods approach: case studies of socially driven games, interviews with the players, and engagement analytics. The results propose that a properly constructed digital game may create empathy, constructive thinking, and a feeling of power that may add significance to societal learning and mobilization.