(From UNC Kenan-Flagler)—The first patented video game, the “Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device,” is celebrating its 65th birthday this year (Gettler, n.d.). This may come as a surprise to many, because people usually place the birth of video games in the 1970s or 1980s, when coin-operated video games became a mainstay in arcades, and the first game consoles appeared in American homes.
Video games—and the people who play them—have changed dramatically since 1948. Generations of gamers have grown up and entered the workplace, and video games have made the same transition, extending their influence into companies around the globe. Many organizations are increasingly using gaming technology in their learning and development programs to help build the next generation of business leaders.
This whitepaper:
- Explores the popularity of video games and the characteristics of the people
who play them. - Reviews different types of games and defines some video game terminology.
- Discusses how serious games can be used to develop organizational talent.
- Provides examples of companies using serious games to develop skills and
behaviors. - Examines the future of serious games in learning and development.
