Video game

A video game, also commonly written written as videogame or video-game, is a game or simulation that is played on a digital device. People interact with software to experience the game, and to take the actions that are allowed in the game software. A videogame is a medium that is used for educational purposes to communicate concepts and information through play, high interactivity, and narrative storytelling.

In a videogame, players can perform any actions that are allowed by the game system. Software controls the scope of actions that are allowed to players and enforce any rules of the game. The game system software also keeps track of any information and details about players' participation, progress, and current state in the game, which makes it an attractive medium for any learning context that requires a substantial amount of information to be recorded and acted on.

Videogames have become a highly performing part of the global economy, with sales of entertainment-based videogames exceeding multiple billions of dollars. Because of their interactivity and ability to generate imaginative narrative story worlds, games are highly pleasing to players in comparison to other forms of media for entertainment and learning.

Videogames have been used for educational purposes since the videogame media format has been first invented. Over time, educational games have improved in their scope, content, delivery, interactivity, and complexity of information and learning objectives, however typically behind the pace of commercial game advancements. Videogames have been created to teach players how to do certain tasks or mimic the skills and work of experts in various fields with games referred to as applied games or serious games.

The concept of fun in any game is elusive to define. Videogames are often referred to as fun, but even in commercial games, many players must put in substantial amounts of work to proceed in the game, which can be not fun. Similarly, educational games that are not fun may cause players to have low levels of interest, but fun is not the only variable to consider when designing an educational game. Instead, videogames offer designers the opportunity to create authentic and relevant scenarios for players to practice certain skills in a low-risk, low-stress way through virtual play. Additionally, players have the opportunity to experience potentially rich game worlds that can expose them to content and educational topics through the use of narrative and game story.

Common aspects of videogames for education

• Interactive, in that the player must perform actions in the game for the media to proceed (unlike a TV show or podcast, which plays automatically - a game does not really play itself!)
• Potential for a rich story context, in that narrative can include educational content in ways that fit within a story, and thus could be more memorable
• Opportunities for practicing skills and tasks through game elements
• Modeling ways of thinking and working in the disciplines by requiring players to learn and practice skills to solve game elements or proceed in the game, such as critical thinking, problem solving, or applying knowledge in a way that mimics how experts would do it
• Gradual increase in difficulty of tasks, which could support students at the earliest levels (i.e., through training levels) and advancing through the game as mastery is gained
• Low risk and low stress, as experimenting and failing to proceed in a game has little to no consequences, and thus players are encouraged to try again and try new things to proceed - and players tend to expect this in a game (provided the task is not too hard!)
• Opportunities for goalsetting through quests, achievements, and completing tasks that are assigned in the game

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