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Short Abstract

Exploring how Games for Social Change can enhance citizen science engagement through analog play, co-design, and social empowerment. The contribution discusses methods to connect gaming, sustainability, and participatory research.

Abstract

I am a citizen and game scientist interested in how game-based approaches can transform science communication and citizen participation. My research focuses on the design and use of analog games—such as board games and role-playing games—as tools for engagement, learning, and social change in citizen science.

Game-based approaches can deeply transform how citizens engage with science, moving from data collection to collective reflection and action. Within this perspective, Games for Social Change represent a powerful framework to link play, participation, and social transformation.

This contribution discusses how analog games—board games, role-playing games, and hybrid formats—can serve as effective tools for citizen science engagement, promoting awareness of sustainability and biodiversity issues. Drawing on projects such as Impatto, Summit 2030, On Board, BOB, Turania, and BioUniversity (Parma), I will present concrete experiences where games have been co-designed with researchers, educators, and communities to explore scientific topics through participatory play.

The discussion aims to outline possible connections between Games for Social Change and Citizen Science, focusing on how playful design can foster inclusion, motivation, and long-term commitment. By bringing examples from Italian and European initiatives, the contribution seeks to enrich the workshop’s reflection on the transformative potential of games in citizen science contexts.

My goal is to contribute to a shared dialogue on methodologies, ethics, and the social impact of play within participatory research practices.