Think Tank · Gaming · Gamification · Esports
ThinkGameful! is an internationally oriented think tank based in Germany. We study what people learn through games, what motivates them and how they make decisions – and how these insights can help shape politics, society, education and the world of work.
Position and strategy papers on the questions where games meet politics, society and work – from loot boxes and propaganda to esports, education and AI. Each paper brings together research, facts and clear demands.
12 papers · available in German
Gaming · Politics · Propaganda
Video games as an instrument of propaganda
How China, Russia, Saudi Arabia and other actors use games for political ends – from enemy images built into game mechanics to quiet power over publishers and platforms. The bigger risk is not the single propaganda game, but the silent narrowing of what can still be played.
Esports · Gaming · Politics
Esports in Saudi Arabia: critical distance instead of partnership
Saudi billions bring real economic benefits to gaming and esports – but they cannot outweigh the ethical fault lines. An assessment with figures, facts and research on sportswashing and the structural risk of a single state fund owning large parts of the ecosystem.
Gamification · Democracy · Participation
Games in democracy: playful participation, serious influence
From the Wahl-O-Mat to urban planning with Minecraft: what playful formats can achieve for civic education and public participation, where the risks lie – and how federal government, municipalities and schools should use them.
Gaming · History · Education
Games as remembrance culture: making history tangible
Why digital games are becoming indispensable for remembering National Socialism, war and persecution – especially as the last contemporary witnesses can no longer speak – and what politics, education and industry need to do now.
Gaming · Consumer protection · Youth protection
Loot boxes: ending gambling in children's bedrooms
Why paid random content in video games endangers children, what research knows about the link to problem gambling – and how Europe should regulate it in the Digital Fairness Act.
Gaming · Consumer protection · Design ethics
Dark patterns: when game design works against players
How manipulative design, obscured currencies and personalised purchase pressure shape the free-to-play model – and which rules Europe needs in the Digital Fairness Act.
We look at gaming as a cultural, economic, technological and scientific phenomenon – and ask what it can teach us about the challenges of our time.
Modern games are complex systems of rules, goals, resources, decisions, competition, cooperation and feedback. Around them, communities, cultures and entire economic ecosystems emerge. Esports adds team organisation, tactical preparation, communication and performance under pressure.
As a think tank, we don't just ask which solution fits a specific problem. We examine the underlying connections – and bring research and practice together.
Questions we explore
Gamification transfers game elements into contexts that are not games themselves. Gameful design goes further: it shapes an entire experience around what makes good games work.
A points system alone doesn't motivate anyone. Leaderboards, badges and competitions fall flat when they ignore what people actually need. Good design starts with one question: why should people do this task – and how can the design help them?
People understand what should be achieved – and why it matters.
Progress, mistakes and opportunities to grow become visible quickly and clearly.
People can see which skills they have built and which steps lie ahead.
Tasks stretch people without permanently overwhelming or boring them.
Design supports communication, shared goals and making the most of different strengths.
People can make decisions, try different paths and take responsibility.
These principles are no guarantee of motivation or better performance. Their effect depends on the audience, the context and the design – which is exactly why understanding the underlying mechanisms matters.
Our work addresses politics, society and business alike. Gaming touches digital participation, youth and education culture, media literacy, economic development and the role of digital communities.
Political debates about gaming benefit from looking at opportunities and risks in a differentiated way. Sweeping judgements do not do justice to the diversity of games and how they are used.
We prepare findings in an accessible way, bring different perspectives together and help decision-makers put complex issues into context: What potential does gaming offer? Under which conditions? Where are the limits – and where is more research needed?
Games create communities, their own forms of communication and cultural norms. They shape digital culture, media use and how people interact with each other.
We explore how playful approaches can strengthen participation, cohesion and social change – without losing sight of the risks.
Games and game-based learning environments can illustrate complex relationships, give immediate feedback and encourage learners to engage actively with problems.
In vocational training, simulations connect theory with real decisions – without every mistake having real consequences. Universities gain questions ranging from the economics of digital games to the dynamics of virtual communities.
Esports lets us study playful systems under competitive conditions. Teams distribute roles, align strategies, process information under time pressure, deal with defeat and analyse their mistakes.
We don't equate companies with esports teams – but the questions behind them offer valuable impulses for any organisation.
HR is one of our core fields. Game-based approaches can open up new perspectives along the entire employee journey – if they are well designed, fit the role and are evaluated transparently.
Game-based tasks can reveal strategic thinking, problem solving and prioritisation beyond CVs and interviews.
Simulations make decisions and collaboration observable – based on clear requirements and checked for bias.
Practise leadership, decide under uncertainty and reflect together on what transfers to everyday work.
Playful formats offer real insights into how people work – without making a company look like a video game.
Marketing: Games show how interactive experiences, challenges and communities create lasting engagement – relevant for customer experiences, platforms and brand interactions that offer real value.
Project management: Breaking complex goals into achievable steps, making progress transparent and reacting to change – gamification helps, but never replaces planning and leadership.
Organisational development: Simulations and scenarios make change tangible and let teams test alternative ways of working.
Studying gaming is not limited to a single discipline. That's why we work with academic and educational partners.
Partnership with the Institute for Ludology at SRH Berlin University to enable larger joint research projects on gaming.
Scientific partner for the training programme “E-Sport & Gaming in HR”, transferring insights from games research into HR practice.
Motivation cannot be explained by game mechanics alone. Social relationships, individual needs, cultural context and the specific situation matter just as much. Our work therefore draws on economics, social sciences, psychology, cultural studies and organisational research.
How we work
A think tank creates foundations, develops questions, prepares knowledge and evaluates concepts. Implementation happens in companies, schools, universities and specialised organisations.
ThinkGameful!
Research, expert context, conceptual development and knowledge transfer on gaming, gamification, gameful design and esports.
Practice
Transferring suitable insights to concrete tasks – in policy, education, recruiting, development, marketing or organisational design.
Not every plausible idea works. Claims about motivation or performance must be tested carefully.
What works in a game doesn't automatically work in a company or a classroom.
Game-based methods must not create unnecessary barriers and must respect different starting points.
When games are used to assess people, it must be clear which data is collected and how it is used.
Nothing should be used just because it looks innovative. It must serve a concrete goal.
Digitalisation, interactive media, AI and new forms of learning and collaboration raise questions that call for technological understanding, scientific analysis and practical experience.
ThinkGameful! is led by its co-founder Dr. Timo Schöber. His work spans gaming and esports, research, publications and talks – and the transfer of insights from esports to other fields.
Scene experience gives access to real practices and cultures. Research makes it possible to examine observations systematically. Professional experience helps to understand the questions organisations actually face. We bring these perspectives together – without confusing one for the other.
How can we better understand the mechanisms of gaming and esports – and use them to make real challenges more grounded, more human and more effective? Let's talk.
