Game-Making for Cultural Change and Empowered Youth Participation

Abstract

Background: Game-making has the potential to foster cultural participation and empowerment, yet its role as a form of culture-making remains underexplored. Existing approaches to cultural engagement often overlook the creative and participatory possibilities of game-making for addressing pressing cultural challenges and promoting youth inclusivity and empowerment in cultural heritage. This study highlights the importance of game-making as a meaningful strategy for cultural preservation and transformation. Objectives: The article investigates how game-making, particularly through cultural game jams, can promote cultural participation, youth empowerment and support cultural innovation. Methods: The study is grounded in a design-based research methodology and examines the design, development and implementation of three cultural game jams within the EPIC-WE project. It employs a case study approach, analysing game jam practices through the lens of cultural participation, empowerment and diversity/inclusivity, while exploring connections to youth citizens' engagement in cultural heritage. Results and Conclusions: The findings show that cultural game jams can inspire and empower youth citizens to engage with cultural and societal issues through game-making. This paper contributes to the ongoing dialogue on leveraging games and game-making to transform culture and society by discussing the significant role of game-making in promoting cultural awareness, value-based imagination and youth engagement with cultural and societal issues.