The journalistic limits of ludic design: Experimental research on newsgames’ informative effectiveness

Newsgames have proven to be useful to improve engagement and attract younger audiences. However, there are still doubts about its ability to convey information effectively. The present research aims to analyze its effectiveness from two perspectives: the reception of information and user experience. A quasi-experimental design has been used with two measurement instruments: a newsgame prototype (Queen of picudos), which uses internal metrics to collect information on the user-system interaction; and an online questionnaire, which collects information on the reception of content and usability. Different patterns of behavior are observed between users. While men focus on the playability of the content, women focus on the informational component. With regard to user experience, men show a greater predisposition to consume newsgames on a regular basis. Despite the differences observed between both sexes, reading patterns do not seem to influence the reception of information. Most of the participants are able to remember the information and correctly answer the questions.