Beyond Points and Badges: Game Design’s Lessons for Learning and the Future of Play
The gaming industry is increasingly demonstrating that its core principles offer valuable insights beyond entertainment, particularly in education and the application of artificial intelligence. Experts at Fortune’s Brainstorm Design conference in Macau discussed how a deeper understanding of game design – moving past superficial “gamification” – can enhance learning experiences and unlock new possibilities for interactive entertainment.
Efekta’s CEO, Eman Schuneman, emphasized the importance of dedicated effort in learning, nonetheless of the platform. “All of these things are meaningful for certain social media products, but at the end of the day, if you’re there to learn, you have to put in the time and effort,” he stated. Schuneman brings a unique perspective, having previously spent years at UK video game studio rare, contributing to titles like Diddy Kong Racing (1997) and Star Fox Adventure (2002). He now advocates for applying game design principles to education, focusing on sustained engagement.”[The key is] to keep you in the learning experience-the same as keeping you in a gaming experience-and find ways to keep you motivated as a student,” he explained. Efekta is currently exploring integrating “agentic AI” with gaming elements into its education service, driven by a “huge shortage” of English-language and STEM teachers in the Global South. The company’s AI learning assistant has already reached 4 million students across Latin America.
The conference also highlighted the potential of AI to revolutionize game development and preservation. Haiyan Zhang, General Manager and Partner of Gaming AI at Xbox, believes AI can “spark inventiveness about the future of play.” She cited the possibility of using AI to revitalize classic arcade games like Pac-Man, Dig Dug, and Q*bert, allowing new generations to experience them in innovative ways by learning the essence of the original games.
NetEase Games is already implementing AI in its flagship MMORPG, *Sword of justice, a wuxia-genre game set in the late Northern Song Dynasty. Launched in China in 2023 and globally on November 7, 2023, the game utilizes technology from DeepSeek to generate countless non-player characters (NPCs) with unique storylines and behaviors that respond to player actions. Beta Liu, an AI lead from NetEase Games, explained that AI isn’t just a “tech buzzword” but a tool that enhances player interaction and creation, allowing players to, such as, animate their characters to participate in current social media trends.
xbox is also leveraging AI to improve the player experience, introducing an AI co-pilot on mobile and PC two months prior to the conference. This co-pilot allows players to ask questions about gameplay, such as strategies for boss battles or active missions, aiming to make gaming “even more fun [and] even more exciting,” according to Zhang. Ultimately, the industry hopes AI will “elevate the player experience” by fostering deeper engagement and interactivity.
