Gaming for Good: Leveraging Play for Education and Social Change

The perception of online gaming has undergone a revolution, shifting from its traditional role as a source of mere entertainment to emerging as a force for engaging, educating and creating social awareness. This paradigm shift aligns well with the global “Gaming for Good” movement—a campaign that leverages the immersive and interactive essence of gaming to address pressing societal challenges, fuel discourse, and inspire action. 

Utilising the transformative power of gaming to tackle overarching causes is no longer a foreign concept. From MindLight, which helps children manage anxiety and mental health in the Netherlands, to Zoo U, which teaches empathy and cooperation through social scenarios while offering teachers stealth assessments to track students' progress in emotional and social learning, purpose-driven games are demonstrating their ability to demystify complex issues, ignite curiosity, and develop critical thinking in ways that conventional media often fail to achieve.

In this transformation, India finds itself uniquely positioned as a leader. With a fast-growing digital ecosystem, a vibrant online gaming community, and an emphasis on technological innovation, the country is embracing gaming as a tool for societal progress. A shining example of this is CityQuest: Shades of Bharat, an educational game developed by the E-Gaming Federation (EGF). The game captured the nation’s attention when it was celebrated during the 10th-anniversary episode of the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s Mann Ki Baat, a testament to its impact and relevance.

A Spotlight on WAVES 2025

To honour India's ingenuity and accomplishments in digital technology, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) envisioned the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 as a prime occasion. WAVES seeks to position India as a global hub for digital innovation and content production, bolstering the country’s $5 trillion economic agenda. This unique international summit aims to promote partnerships that harness the potential of technology in the media and entertainment sector through dynamic debates, interactive displays, and groundbreaking inventions.

CityQuest, one of the notable projects to be showcased at WAVES 2025, has been developed by the E-Gaming Federation (EGF), an independent not-for-profit organisation striving to foster a safe, fair and transparent online gaming ecosystem while balancing consumer welfare and industry growth.

The development of CityQuest reflects EGF’s commitment to “Gaming for Good”. By using interactive platforms to foster awareness, EGF illustrates how games can serve as powerful instruments for learning and meaningful change.

Core Features of CityQuest

CityQuest: Shades of Bharat integrates urban development metrics into an educational framework. Leveraging NITI Aayog’s SDG Urban Index, the game focuses on key indicators such as cleanliness (Swachh Bharat), infrastructure development, healthcare, gender equality and education. Through gamification, it simplifies complex data, enabling players to engage with critical urban themes in an accessible and interactive format.

CityQuest employs innovative design features to balance engagement and learning. The trump card format, reminiscent of classic card games, highlights 56 Indian cities with comprehensive statistics and rankings, blending education with an element of competition. Aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it uses accurate, government-sourced data to promote SDG localization and track urban progress through 77 indicators across 15 SDGs. 

A significant strength of the game lies in its cultural emphasis, presenting the diversity and key milestones achieved by Indian cities. For example, Indore exemplifies success in cleanliness, setting benchmarks in sanitation; Chandigarh leads in healthcare accessibility; and Delhi showcases remarkable progress in literacy and higher education facilities.

The game further instils a sense of civic responsibility and pride, highlighting India’s urban achievements and its vision for Viksit Bharat 2047. It recognizes players through various awards, including regional top performers and special categories for members of the Armed Forces and Divyang individuals, emphasizing its commitment to inclusivity. Additionally, city-based awards for the highest levels of engagement and scores encourage community involvement. It transcends conventional gaming, offering an academic and purposeful exploration of urban development while inspiring players to contribute to the nation’s journey towards becoming a global leader by 2047.

The Transformative Impact of Gaming for Good

CityQuest represents a compelling vision of how gaming can democratise education and address societal challenges head-on. Traditional learning methods often fall short, failing to connect with diverse audiences due to language or cultural constraints. In contrast, games harness the power of storytelling and interactivity, creating universal appeal and transforming players into active learners. By presenting issues like infrastructure, sustainability, and public policy in an engaging, gamified format, CityQuest makes these concepts accessible to a wider audience. Studies show that gamification boosts motivation and knowledge retention, turning passive learning into an immersive experience.

The broader “Gaming for Good” movement thrives on this concept: games are not just a form of entertainment but also powerful instruments of education and social change. From raising awareness about public health to combating climate change, games are proving their limitless potential. Initiatives like Minecraft: Education Edition and Sea Hero Quest have already demonstrated how gamification can drive action on critical societal issues, from environmental conservation to medical research.

In India, with its rapidly growing digital landscape and youthful, tech-savvy population, the power of gaming is amplified. With over 900 million internet users, gaming presents an unprecedented opportunity to bridge gaps in education and amplify policy outreach across the nation.

Paving the Way Forward

The concept of “Gaming for Good” holds immense promise as a force in education and societal engagement. Far beyond entertainment, gaming innovations are emerging as powerful tools for learning and empowerment, dismantling barriers related to language, accessibility, and cultural relevance.

As India positions itself as a global leader in the “Gaming for Good” movement through initiatives like WAVES 2025 and CityQuest, it underscores the vast opportunity presented by this approach. To realise the full potential of this initiative, a united effort is essential. Governments, educators, game developers, and policymakers must collaborate to craft purposeful gaming experiences aligned with global aspirations, such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

By tapping into the immersive and engaging nature of games, stakeholders can foster a society that is more informed, curious, and socially conscious. As India strides toward the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047, projects like CityQuest exemplify how creativity, technology, and collaboration can converge to shape a brighter future. This movement is not just a fleeting innovation; it is a paradigm shift in how we learn, engage, and grow. It challenges us to reimagine education as an adventure and progress as an outcome of play, inviting everyone to contribute to building a more inclusive and empowered world.