Videogame Education is a broad set of practices, approaches, and tools for using video games in educational and training activities. It has very little to do with serious games or gamification.

What is Videogame Education, or, if you prefer, EduGaming? Simply put, it’s an educational approach that uses commercial video games as tools to support “learning” or “education.” It can be applied and practiced across various complementary educational settings, from adult education and lifelong learning to schools and more typical youth work activities, all the way to educational initiatives aimed at promoting healthy aging.

In recent years, games have become a popular topic. However, Videogame Education is something different and, to be honest, still underrepresented, especially in Italy.

Unlike traditional educational games designed specifically to teach concepts, videogame education takes advantage of mainstream games. It doesn’t rely on the production or creation of an educational title or a specifically instructional app.

No, videogame education works with true consumer “products” like Dragon Age, Final Fantasy, Valorant, Minecraft (probably the most “well-known” example, given its impressive longevity and presence in educational settings).

What can you achieve with a video game? First of all, core skills like problem-solving, strategic thinking, and digital competence. And then, languages. Additionally, the ability to tell stories—and to tell one's own story. And further, inclusive culture and values of diversity. We can even promote games like Assassin's Creed, which is highly useful for exploring historical contexts.

People often assume that terms like "serious games" or "gamification" are, more or less, the same as Videogame Education. Or, conversely, they think EduGaming is simply another word for gamification. This isn’t quite accurate. They are very different concepts.

-Serious Games are designed with a specific educational or training purpose. They are, essentially, custom-made games. They combine gameplay with explicit learning objectives, making entertainment secondary. Above all, they require players to play a "serious" game, which people are unlikely to choose to play spontaneously.

-Gamification, on the other hand, is something else entirely. It applies game-like elements (points, badges, leaderboards) to non-game contexts to motivate and engage users. This is common in corporate training and doesn’t necessarily involve gameplay; rather, it uses game mechanics to incentivize specific behaviors. In a retail context, for instance, the more you sell, the more points, badges, and leaderboard placements you earn, possibly with a final reward. Put simply.

Videogame education, in contrast, aims to harness the educational potential of existing commercial video games to inspire learning in unexpected and engaging ways, combining entertainment and education in a holistic approach that is often centered on the learner’s interests.

Of course, approaches like Geek Therapy or Videogame Therapy are a different matter, as they are, well… therapeutic. But the fact that video games have also become a practice, tool, and culture in clinical settings speaks volumes about their potential effectiveness.

With our project Adventures are Better Shared!, we will explore EduGaming with many practical examples, using a shared, non-formal methodology, working in synergy with educators, facilitators, tutors, and... European gamers!

The part of this project that makes us the most proud is that we will offer educators, trainers, and facilitators with fewer financial resources a learning mobility program in Sweden at the offices of our partner Sverok, an organization highly experienced in these topics, in 2026.