How Can Video Games Connect with Entrepreneurship?
Video games are one of the biggest sources of fun and creativity in our lives. But what if games could do even more? What if they could help us learn new skills, change the world, or even launch our own ideas?
Showing people that the world of video games can connect with entrepreneurship is an exciting challenge. But how do you make that connection concrete and meaningful?
As part of the VideoGamesForGood project, we organised an activity for “La Fédération Scoute de Belgique” (Les Scouts ASBL). The goal was to use video games as entry point to introduce youngsters (aged 14 to 17) to key concepts such as diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) and social entrepreneurship.
To ensure a strong pedagogical foundation, educators were first invited to complete our online course, which provides an overview of DEI and social entrepreneurship, the core themes of the activities. The programme combined several interactive and engaging activities to enable participants to create, imagine, build and even make a positive impact through games.
The Activities
Activity 1 – “Foulard Liégeois”
The first activity introduced youngsters to inclusivity in video games through a dynamic team game. Each participant was assigned a video game character, and when the referee called out their character, the corresponding players raced to retrieve a toolsheet placed in the centre of the field. If a player was tagged before returning to their side, the opposing team would win the toolsheet. At the end of the activity, the referee invited all players to share and discuss the practical tools presented in the toolsheet.
If you want to discover our toolsheets, check it out: https://www.videogames4good.eu/?page_id=1803
Activity 2 – Exploring diversity and representation in video game characters
Building on the first activity, participants used some of the toolsheets collected to critically analyse video game characters and design their own inclusive characters. With the help of the educator, they examined examples of games and scenarios and reflected on representations of characters. Then, they created character profiles that avoid stereotypes and promote an inclusive representation.
This activity enabled young people to put theory into practice by applying inclusivity principles in a creative and hands-on way.
For more information, check out our activity “Exploring Diversity and Representation in Video Game Characters” at https://www.videogames4good.eu/?page_id=1222
Activity 3 – The values of sustainable and social entrepreneurship
In this third activity, participants were introduced to the fundamentals of sustainable and social entrepreneurship. They explored different entrepreneurial values and reflected on which ones matter most to them personally.
For more information, check out our activity “The values of sustainable and social entrepreneurship” at https://www.videogames4good.eu/?page_id=1222
We concluded the session with a collective feedback in which participants shared their impressions of each activity.