It's Time To Take Games Seriously

Serious gaming, or the use of games and gaming dynamics for non-entertainment purposes, is poised to take off thanks to the rise of Technology Populism, the greening of IT, and the emergence of the Millennials. Opportunity comes from many sectors, but competition comes from a hodgepodge of companies, including IBM and Microsoft. To achieve widespread adoption, the industry must deal with five issues: 1) what games should be called; 2) how slick the presentation should be; 3) how users should interface with the games; 4) how to determine ROI; and 5) determining if the technology has any limitations. Clearing these hurdles will open the door for revolutionary uses of games, but getting from here to there will require patience and guidance on the part of serious games vendors.