Abertay University students showcase ‘applied games’ addressing key societal challenges

Event highlights student innovation, industry partnerships and social impact through game design

A diverse range of video games designed to tackle real-world challenges was on display at Abertay University’s first Applied Games Showcase.

Held on Wednesday 23 April, the event featured innovative projects developed by students in Abertay’s Professional Masters in Games Development (MProf) programme— a globally recognised postgraduate degree delivered by the Centre for Excellence in Computer Games Education.

The students crafted "applied games"—games with purposes that extend beyond entertainment, including education, training, research, and healthcare—based on briefs provided by real-life clients.

Throughout the academic year, students worked closely with these clients to develop applied games that not only honed their practical skills but also helped clients address specific challenges within their organisations.

Projects on display included:

CyberRunner, a tower defence game created with Cyber Offender Prevention: Academia (ACOP), designed to educate young people across Europe about cybercrime laws and online safety.
Kitsune: The Lost Way, resulting from a youth-led game development initiative produced in partnership with BRAG Enterprises, supporting employability skills in young people not currently in education or training.

De-Pict Dunkeld, a historical game exploring Perthshire’s heritage and the King’s Seat Hillfort, developed with Historic Dunkeld.

Steps to Safety, an offshore safety training game to support offshore energy workers, co-designed with Step Change in Safety.

Rennie Room Decorator, an interactive digital experience themed on Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Oak Room, developed with V&A Dundee.

Additionally, two further games developed by MProf students as part of a research project into games and digital youth work were displayed:

Scales of Sorrow, an action game exploring themes of social exclusion, created with Ochil Youth Community Improvement.

Dodge the Fog, an endless runner game tackling vaping and healthy lifestyle choices, in collaboration with DataKirk.

Guests from industry and partner organisations attended the showcase, with the opportunity to test the games and speak directly with the student developers in an exhibition-style format.

Dr Andrew Reid, Lecturer in Games Production, said:

The Applied Games Showcase is a fantastic demonstration of the MProf ethos — combining creativity, technical skill and real-world collaboration. Our students are tackling important societal issues and delivering work that has genuine value for the organisations involved. We're immensely proud of their achievements and excited to support these projects towards their next goals alongside our students and collaborators.

Among the showcased projects was 'Kitsune: A Lost Way', a game developed in collaboration with BRAG Enterprises, a Fife-based charity committed to empowering young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and significant barrieres to employment.

In partnership with MProf students, a group of young people from BRAG conceptualised, designed, and created a playable game, which helped to build their confidence and enhance their skill development.

Kirsten Spence, Senior Operations Manager at BRAG Enterprises, said:

The partnership with Abertay has been phenomenal. Our young people benefit hugely from working alongside university students and clients. It gives them a real sense of responsibility and helps them develop the confidence and skills they need for the world of work or further study. This is our second year working with Abertay and we have already seen many of our participants move on to positive destinations.

Another highlight at the showcase was CyberRunner, developed by Team Penta. This innovative game educates teens about cybercrime while engaging them in intense tower defence gameplay. It is currently being considered for rollout across Europe in collaboration with Politie in the Netherlands.

Damian Roman from Team Penta said:

Working with ACOP on a real-world brief was an incredible experience. I’ve always seen games as an art form, but this project opened my eyes to the impact they can have beyond entertainment. It’s changed how I see my future in the industry.

The showcase took place following the announcement that Abertay has been recognised as the Top International School for Video Game Design in the Princeton Review’s 2025 global rankings, for the second consecutive year.