Games for Social Change

On December 8, students and learning partners demonstrated the game at a "Peace in Process" community event in Dorchester, alongside participants from the Social Impact Studio in Virtual Reality, partners from Massachusetts General Hospital and the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, and other members of the community, who participated in the first public playthrough. Audience members also took part in the action by holding up either a thumbs-up or thumbs-down placard, attempting to sway the decision one way or the other. 

"It really connected to people in the crowd," said learning partner Breyanna Catlett. "Even having an ex-gang member speak up [about how the game resonated with his experiences], that was really insightful and made an impact. A lot of people in the room were touched, and the intergenerational component really connected everyone."

Since the initial playthrough, the Engagement Lab has continued to work with members of Teen Empowerment to further refine the game, including an adjusted version designed for eighth graders which was playtested in May 2023. The materials required to play the game will be uploaded to the ELab website in the near future.

A STUDENT'S PERSPECTIVE by John Yang, Studio Assistant

I had initially thought creating a game would be an easy task, but in this class, I found out that there are so many complex layers for students and community partners to consider before we even get to the game-designing stage. One example of these complexities is how to create in-game situations without further perpetuating stereotypes or stigmas attached to communities of color. I am grateful to have the opportunity to work with community members to grapple with a harsh societal issue. 

The class allowed me to see and define a “working community” that is coming together in unison toward a better society. In class, we are encouraged to share our ideas and challenge each other’s thinking, with space for often-unheard voices to be listened to meaningfully. 

While the class has focused on creating a fun game to gain the attention of youths, we hope that it can serve a larger population as well. This class gave us the opportunity to relate to each other as human beings, no longer divided by our social identities. 

The course involves the direct participation of Boston-area teens as co-designers of games. Students work on project teams with partnering teens to create games that can be played by organizations or community groups in Boston to reframe violence in their communities and advocate for peace. Games can be analog or digital, depending on the interests and skills of students and partners. 

Eric Gordon

Professor, Visual & Media Arts

Director

Johnny Pires

Learning Partner, Teen Empowerment

Breyanna Catlett

Nate McLean-Nichols

Arianna Constant-Patton

Marley Christopher

Fall 2022 - Games for Social Change

Peace or Piece

A narrative role-playing game in which players divide into groups, choose a character to embody, and make decisions that will impact the story in real time.

Three seated people in a blackbox theatre, one holding a large yellow die

A crowd of seated people in a half circle, with one person standing holding an iPad

A crowd of seated people in a circle in a blackbox theatre

A number of people playing a role-playing game in a crowded black-box with flags on the wall