Serious Games

by Clark C. Abt

The author explores the ways in which games can be used to instruct and inform as well as provide pleasure. He uses innovative approaches to problem solving through individualized game techniques.

Genres: Games, Game Design

198 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Of historical and scholarly interest, mainly; it's 50 years old and obviously the study of serious games has evolved just a bit in that time! Still, it's fun to read about the origins of serious games as a legitimate field (chapters 1 and 2 particularly), and the descriptions of assorted games (all "analog") were interesting. Otherwise, it's fairly dated. The terminology was a little distracting—although it was probably fairly progressive for its time, the use of phrases like "slum child" and "ghetto children" is startling.

[Ning-Jia Ong · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the older books I've read last year that made a lot of sense but even after a few decades, the idea is not well saturated in today's society. Huge opportunity for those who are able to leverage on the idea of gamification and integrated with education and corporations.

[Ronald Wise · Rating 2 out of 5]

A short analysis of the use of role-playing games in educational, political, and business settings. Abt is a psychologist who had worked in the defense industry devising warfare strategy games. He became disillusioned with that and started a foundation to pursue the use of games for more benign purposes. About as dry as a psych text book, but with some interesting points. I bought and read this book in the mid-1970s when I was planning to buy every self-help book in my neighborhood bookstore alphabetically by author — This was the second one.

[Kelv · Rating 2 out of 5]

40 years old the text / terms are dated - written in a stop-start technical prose that will not suit most. The general theme is relevant and probably a good reminder that 'games' need to thought provoking, involving and not necessarily done via computers. References to Piaget and Dewey was good and important introduction.

Although by the end I am not sure that the author was able provide a specific way forward for out-of-the-box thinking by the use of games.