Hello,
The funeral for John Lewis is one of the most moving things I've seen in a while. The most frustrating part for me is that a month ago I didn't know who this Civil Rights icon was. That's crazy. His sacrifices have laid the foundation for so many of the opportunities that have been afforded to me.
It's a disservice that so many stories like his have gone untold. The US education system hasn't done an adequate job of explaining the contributions of people like him, but I do remember walking out of elementary school thinking that Robert E. Lee, the leader of the Confederacy, was a great guy. Yikes.
As we move into a world where brand purpose is key, education is going to be a big responsibility for brands going forward. Games could be a great way to show stories in an innovative way.
Why use video games to educate people?
It's the most interactive medium out there, and millions of people play them daily. Plus it’s always good to bring your message to where the next generation is already congregating.
I'd also argue that modern games are behind the curve when it comes to historical settings. When games do get historical they are usually set in Sengoku era Japan, the Wild West, or one of the World Wars.
One series that has created some great period pieces is Assassins Creed, a franchise about the lineage of a fictional society, but they've incorporated more and more fantasy elements in their newer titles.
What are some good examples of educational games?
The video game, Oregon Trail, taught me about Manifest Destiny better than any history book, Plague Inc. has given me an amateur background in pathogen spreading that I never thought I'd need until this pandemic came along, and New York Time’s game, Privacy Chicken, showed me how uncomfortable I am with how much data companies collect on me every day.
The thing that stands out to me about these games is that they aren't expensive productions. They all rely on text boxes and smart UI. After all, Oregon Trail is from the 70s and still holds up today.
How can edu-games help brands?
Find the stories that people don't know about your brand’s category and educate the world about them. Ask yourself how people can have fun while learning about the important moments that have shaped the products you sell.
Below are some category specific Black stories that I think are worth telling.
Pharma - Henrietta Lacks Cells Evolution.
Henrietta Lacks was a poor, Black woman who died of cancer in 1951. Before she died doctors took samples of her cells and were surprised that they wouldn’t die after 24 hours as most human cells do. That has led to them being the test subject of many drugs that we use today.
A pharma brand could create a 2D game that shows how Henrietta Lacks cells, are the backbone of many of the medical innovations we see today.
Transportation - Bus Boycott Management Simulator
A brand like Uber could create a game that shows how labor-intensive the logistics of setting up times and rides for the Bus Boycott in Alabama was. In many ways, the protestors scheduling and coordinating rides was the original ride share.
Music - Journey of Music
Spotify or Apple Music could take chords from prominent songs and show how those same melodies have appeared in different types of music throughout the ages.
They could frame this as a choose your own adventure by allowing users to choose what parts of old songs they want to hear in new music.
What to take away:
History is closer than you think and a lot of it isn’t being told. As brands search to build on their purpose and commitments, edu-games can be a great way to engage people.
Gaming news that caught my eye:
Business Insider: Nintendo had a data huge leak over the weekend that’s revealing a lot about some classic games. It’s a modder’s dream.
Sonic Boom: A new strategy consultancy has released an audit of how a bunch of brands have activated within gaming. Give it a look! Thank you to Gunny Scarfo for bringing it to my attention.
Kotaku: Here’s a great article about how Fire Emblem used smart game design to create a nonbinary character.
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