Children in participatory game design

Abstract

Studying participatory design by children in game development is crucial for creating better, more engaging, and educational games. It empowers children, fosters creativity, and leads to products that are more aligned with their needs and desires. Moreover, it provides valuable insights for both the gaming industry and broader fields of child development and educational research.

This thesis explores the roles of children as participants in game design. Additionally, it investigates the impact of game creation systems (GCS) – platforms enabling individuals to design and create games with minimal technical expertise – on game design. This study utilizes a narrative literature review methodology to investigate the roles children play in participatory game design, and how GCS influence their engagement and the outcomes. A comprehensive search was conducted across multiple databases using various queries. A systematic refinement process was then applied to ensure relevance and publication quality, ultimately resulting in the analysis of 20 relevant studies.

The findings reveal that children primarily serve as design partners and informants in participatory game design processes. Although a comprehensive understanding of the effects of game creation systems (GCS) remains complex and was not fully addressed, the study suggests increased engagement and the development of technical skills when children are actively involved in the entire game design and creation process. Additionally, a distinction was observed between the game topics chosen by children and those chosen by adults.

This research contributes an informative overview of the involvement of children in game design, shedding light on their roles as design partners and informants. Given the expansive nature of the game creation domain, the study underscores the need for further research into this many-sided topic, recognizing the potential for continued exploration and expansion of knowledge in this evolving field.