This volume explores the assertion that playing games can facilitate deep, sustained, and transferable learning. "Serious games" are defined as interactive computer-based games designed for one or multiple players, intended to provide more than mere entertainment. The editors address existing gaps in gaming scholarship by offering an academic overview of the mechanisms and effects of serious games. Contributors examine psychological processes occurring during gaming, including game selection, persistent play, and overall impact. The focus is on the positive outcomes of digital gameplay, distinguishing between three effects: learning, development, and change, thereby highlighting the potential impact of serious games. Contributions from esteemed scholars emphasize the gaming process and user experiences, while concluding chapters present insights from experts in game design and the gaming industry, providing non-social science perspectives. The editors advocate for a broader interdisciplinary approach to gaming research, aiming to bridge methodological divides and promote a more integrated study of digital games. This timely volume is aimed at scholars, researchers, and graduate students in media entertainment and game studies, particularly in education, media, communication, and psychology.
