We’ve gone from Nintendo DS and XBox 360 in 2006 to Playstation 5 and Nintendo Switch today. And the market continues to adapt with innovations we wouldn’t even have considered 20 years ago. The feeling that people get playing video games (and interacting with virtual technologies in general) is the same feeling virtual and in-person experiences should communicate. Video games—just like virtual and built environments—foster a sense of wonder.
Video games encourage togetherness.
Even when people are playing video games in an empty house, they’re still interacting with others in game. Not only does this allow for folks to maintain friendships regardless of location, but it also offers a built-in conversation topic.
At a museum exhibit, people can interact with one another by discussing what’s going on in the exhibit itself. You typically wouldn’t start a conversation at a science museum by saying, “Do you know any good restaurants around here?” But if your child and another parent’s child are interacting with a static electricity exhibit, you might make a comment about the exhibit to that individual. Video games encourage you to talk to others, which can translate to the real world as well.
Taking that concept from video games reminds us to have some means of interaction in a virtual or physical display that can spark a conversation, whether it’s a thought-provoking activity, questions placed around the environment, or even a multi-touch wall (like the Cleveland Museum of Art).
Video games make interaction accessible.
Accessibility has always been important, but it has historically come as an afterthought. Developers try to help with user experience with game aspects like selecting color blindness-friendly palettes as well as verbal and written storytelling for NPCs (non-playable characters).
Folks can use those reminders from video games to be more conscious of accessibility choices, asking:
How can we make sure there’s a ramp available to the entrance of this exhibit?
What accessibility feature options are we able to use on our current website platform?
Where can we include comfortable places to sit down for visitors to this designed experience?
Which parts of this built or virtual environment may need alternative options for different ability levels?
Are these doorways and aisles wide enough to accommodate everyone in this structure?
While video games still have a long way to go with representation of characters that look like all of us, they have lessened the accessibility gap. Video games can serve as a reminder to experience builders that even small touches, like color-blindness support, can go a long way in making things accessible for as many people as possible.
Video games are all about engagement.
The cornerstone of a video game is engagement. It’s not only how many people purchase the game but how many people continue to pick it up again. There’s never any doubt when you’re conceptualizing a virtual or physical space that it needs to be engaging, and creators can adopt gamification to make that happen.
Gamifying a space encourages concentration skills, among other transferable abilities, all the while remaining enjoyable. If a parent takes a child to an event where they can play educational games, their concentration levels in school may increase when they’re learning about that topic. For example, The Music Factory at Milwaukee’s Discovery World gamified song development by using color, light, and movement to assist visitors in composing a musical piece. This connected the dots for visitors—helping them understand at a deeper level how music actually comes together.
Jane McGonigal’s TED talk from many years ago was incredibly popular for gamers and non-gamers alike. At its core, it highlighted the importance of video games. Jane explains that video games have the ability to solve life’s biggest regrets to live a happier, truer life. Through video games, people can express themselves in the way they feel internally. Likewise, virtual and in-person experiences should have that same goal: to offer a space where self-expression is encouraged, creativity is fueled, and curiosity continues beyond the space.
