Despite the term "serious games" sounding like an oxymoron, the organisation is (if you'll excuse the phrase) a serious business.
Backed by the British Computer Society, the Serious Games Institute is a facilitator for software developers, businesses and games commissioners. The aim of the organisation is to help use games and technology for educational purposes.
Through a process of original development and repurposing (i.e. making something entertaining educational), companies are now working together to develop employees' business skills through games. With this in mind, we've come up with three games where you can actually learn a bit more about money, management and how to make a business run smoothly.
Monopoly
It might end up being the source of a family argument at Christmas, but Monopoly can actually teach players a host of business skills - one of them being the art of negotiation. Regardless of what you own or how much cash you have, the success of a deal often comes down to how well you can persuade your opponent. Although the rules of engagement might be a little less formal than those in the boardroom, certain fundamentals still apply.
For example, if you know your brother is fond of the red set and you hold the one he needs, you can leverage this position to get more than you would if your piece didn't complete his set. Essentially, Monopoly can teach you how to understand your own worth in relation to someone else's assets i.e. value is relative. One red street might not be worth much in isolation, but if it's the one card your opponent needs, then its value increases and that's the same in business.
Poker
Poker can teach the aspiring entrepreneur the value of reading people. Everyone knows that bluffing is a huge part of the game, but stealing the pot with a bad hand is more than simply betting and hoping. To dupe someone into folding, you first need to read their body language. Indeed, as the experts will tell you, bluffing when your poker opponent doesn't seem interested in the pot is crucial. Only by spotting disinterest in your opponent can you find the right time to manipulate them.
The same is true in business: once you've learnt how to read a lead's body language you'll know when the time is right to make a move. Maybe they look bored during a sales pitch so you turn on the charm. Maybe they look overly keen so you decide to up the price. Spotting these subtle signs can not only help you save a lost deal, but extract more value when someone appears to be on your side.
Tin Goose
While you are bound to know about Monopoly and poker, Tin Goose is something of a niche game. Developed by gamer Matt Calkins, this strategy offering aims to teach players how to deal with the tricky business of launching a start-up.
Using the aviation industry as its motif, this game puts players in charge of an airline at the very start of the industry. Taking charge of an airmail route with a Ford Trimotor (aka a Tin Goose), players must then adapt to the industry as technology evolves and improves.
Not only that, but players must work on increasing the services they offer as well as their efficiency while cutting costs and time. Naturally, everything from oil shortages, price hikes, strikes and natural disasters are there to ensure the ride is anything but smooth. However, for those who can navigate through the game and develop a successful modern-day airline, a wealth of new business skills should be the reward.
