This section introduces key concepts used in the Shared Scandinavian Model for guiding startups and students to build businesses using game technology or gaming methods applied in other industries. The concepts provide a common point of reference for mentors, teachers, coaches and other people supporting these teams.
Digital games have expanded beyond entertainment. Serious games and gamification are now used across many domains, including education, healthcare, corporate training and civic engagement. Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they refer to different approaches to using game design to achieve an intended outcome.
They are related concepts and both draw on qualities of games, but in different ways. Game technology can also be used outside entertainment without necessarily involving either serious games or gamification—for example through real-time 3D, XR, simulation, tools and other technical capabilities.
Serious games are complete game experiences designed with a purpose beyond entertainment. Their structure, mechanics, narrative and challenges are built as games, while their primary purpose may include learning, training, research, communication, behaviour change or social impact.
They are evaluated not only by whether the experience is engaging, but also by the outcome they are intended to achieve, such as improvement in skills, knowledge, decision-making or another defined purpose.
Characteristics of Serious Games
Serious games typically refer to fully fledged or substantial game experiences.
They incorporate comprehensive game mechanics, for example rules, challenges, levels and feedback systems.
Gameplay itself is central to achieving the intended outcome.
They may be used in formal settings, such as organisations and schools, as well as in informal settings.
Examples of Serious Games
Gamification applies selected game elements—such as points, badges, leaderboards, rewards, challenges and progress systems—to activities or systems that are not themselves games. The goal may be to motivate participation, improve the user experience, reinforce habits or influence behaviour without creating a complete game.
Characteristics of Gamification
Examples of Gamification
Both serious games and gamification use knowledge from game design to create an intended impact. Both may draw on mechanisms such as challenge, feedback and progression to influence how people learn, behave or engage. The primary distinction lies in where the game exists.
Serious games are self-contained game experiences designed to achieve an applied outcome through play.
Gamification applies selected game mechanics to systems or activities that are not themselves games.
This creates different design constraints. Serious games may use simulation, storytelling and other game characteristics to create a full play experience that leads towards a defined purpose, whereas gamification prioritises the integration of individual game mechanics into existing workflows or routines.
The boundary can sometimes blur. A solution may combine a game-based experience with gamified elements such as badges or reward systems. In such cases, it is useful to consider the primary mechanism through which the solution is intended to create value.
The table below summarises the main distinctions and overlaps between the two concepts. For coaches and mentors, one practical implication is that a serious game often involves greater development complexity because it requires a coherent game experience. Both approaches may nevertheless require significant work to evaluate whether they achieve their intended outcomes.
