The newly developed PHUSICOS simulation is a serious game. It was developed as part of Work Package 6 on learning innovation and aims to simulate the complex governance setting of stakeholders.
Serious games owe their name to the fact that they are designed with a purpose that goes beyond the classic entertainment goal of games. They are intended to raise awareness on different topics and facilitate innovative learning. They are thus ‘games’ because they take place in a fictional setting, but are ‘serious’ because they represent real-world structures and processes.
They have been shown to be very effective learning tools that can serve as participatory methods, and support understanding of essential governance issues, including sustainable development, climate change mitigation and disaster risk reduction.