The E3 2009 extravaganza just concluded in Los Angeles recently. As is always the case at this expo, every major electronic entertainment company that develops game hardware and software was demonstrating their wares. Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft made major game hardware related announcements. Ubisoft, Square Enix, Sega, Konami, Namco Bandai, Eidos, MTV Games and others announced game content.

Traditionally at Upside, we’ve always used one Saturday every month for training. Typically, this training is designed for functional groups and is followed by a creative activity where there is cross-functional participation.

We receive requests for information about game-based learning development services. Customers have determined that using digital games is a good choice, but aren’t quite certain about whether it’s a casual or serious game they need.
There are pronounced differences between casual and serious games. I’d like to delve a bit deeper into differences I see as being more important when deciding which way to go. The differences between casual and serious games seem to lie squarely in two domains: Instructional Outcomes, and Use of Technology.

It’s everywhere – these varied conversations about learning games and the spending of millions of dollars to further the state of art in learning games. I’ve been on a similar tack; however, it’s quite obvious that most training departments don’t have the millions or even hundreds of thousands of dollars that are required for sophisticated learning game development nor do they have the many months it can take to develop a full-fledged game.