Games as means of communication

The article published by Olivier Mauco for EBG[1] entitled “Media games: communiquer par le jeu vidéo” (communicate through video games) shows that the distinction between games, fiction and society is a relatively recent one, as the Roman empire put sporting and theatrical events at the heart of its political system. The use of games to train the elites (the military, business schools or journalists) is therefore not new; it is an efficient means of disseminating a message widely while fostering public involvement.

So-called “advergames” and “serious games” are two alternative approaches to conventional communication. Gamification relies on scoring to reward users who play by the rules, thus enabling a company to induce certain behaviours or generate data. These techniques help renew corporate digital communication strategies.

In another article for EBG, Olivier Mauco focuses on the design of digital games (management games, arcade games, simulation games, musical games…). According to him, digital games are based on two pillars: storytelling on the one hand, and action on the other hand. While action must be simple and interactive yet stimulating, the use of rewards or points allow for user involvement.

Each game’s graphic style determines its specific environment, which, along with storytelling and game play, is a fundamental pillar of the global game strategy. The game’s underlying message must be subtly conveyed at a key moment in the players’ experience, in order to associate a product with the game, without undermining its entertaining aspect. The database thus created is used by the game itself as well as for marketing purposes.

[1] Electronic Business Group