ABSTRACT
As already elaborated in the previous chapters of this volume, serious games have been acclaimed for playing an increasingly important role in learning, psychological development, and social change (see Ratan & Ritterfeld, this volume, chapter 2; Ritterfeld, Cody, & Vorderer, this volume, chapter 1). Serious games represent the effort to facilitate education through digital entertainment media, as explicated in entertainment education models (Ritterfeld & Weber, 2006; Wang & Singhal, this volume, chapter 17). These models suggest a sweet spot to perfectly blend entertainment and education together in one game experience. Through this entertainment education blend, the advantage of fun game play calls attention to some important social and educational issues, spurring deeper thinking, discussion, and learning, as well as creating opportunities for vicarious experiences that would be otherwise impossible.
