How SWR uses gamification to engage young people and inspire them to learn

At denkwerk, we believe that learning today must be more than just passive consumption of content. Learning is only effective when it is interactive, inspiring, and encourages participation. That is why we rely entirely on gamification—as a targeted design strategy for activating intrinsic motivation.

A current example: the educational game “Nachrichtenmacher” (Newsmakers), which we advised SWR on during its development.

The educational game was designed explicitly for use in school lessons. And that is precisely where its added value lies: it meets young people where they are in their digital world. The game transforms complex content into an engaging gaming experience.

What Gamification Really Does

Gamification is not just a nice extra: when used correctly, gamification is an effective means of changing behavior and attitudes. Especially among young people, gamification:

• Promote intrinsic motivation (learning on one's own initiative)

• Strengthen the experience of competence (“I can make a difference”) and

• Enable sustainable learning through immediate feedback

Neurodidactic findings prove that when we make our own decisions, gain experience, fail, and try again, content is anchored more sustainably in our long-term memory. Serious games make use of precisely this principle—they create effective learning experiences through active participation.

From Game to Attitude: “Nachrichtenmacher” in the Classroom

In the game “Nachrichtenmacher,” students take on the role of editors. They decide which news to broadcast, question sources, discuss with colleagues—and feel that “my decision has consequences.”

The game is based on the everyday work processes of the SWR editorial team DASDING and makes journalistic thinking tangible. In the classroom, it is not used as an additional offering, but as a didactic tool that complements traditional methods. It brings discourse, reflection, and a change of perspective into the classroom – an important contribution to democracy education, especially in times of disinformation and loss of trust in the media.

The FAZ praises: “Refreshes even the most seasoned journalist's mind”

The positive response in the national press shows that the game is not only pedagogically convincing, but also in terms of content. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) writes:

“Nachrichtenmacher” depicts the pitfalls and temptations of everyday journalism in a way that is sometimes touching, sometimes eerily accurate. [...] It refreshes even the most seasoned journalist's mind to be reminded of the simplest criteria for selecting a news story.

Axel Weidemann, Author

It is particularly emphasized that the game does not lecture, but rather conveys journalistic principles—such as source criticism, relevance, and timeliness—in a playful and realistic way. It shows how journalism works—and why it remains relevant.

Experience design for meaning and impact

As experience designers at denkwerk, we don't just think about such projects “alongside” others, but specifically from the perspective of impact. We ask:

• How should an educational game be structured so that it does not come across as didactic, but simply inspires enthusiasm?

• How can complexity be reduced without trivializing content?

• How can a digital experience be created that not only imparts knowledge, but also has a lasting positive effect on comprehension and action?

For us, gamification is not just a buzzword. Gamification is a catalyst for a deeper engagement with complex topics and tasks. Especially when it comes to topics that are socially relevant (but often difficult to access), the playful tasks in an educational game break down the diverse information and learning content.

Conclusion

Serious games such as “Nachrichtenmacher” show what is possible when meaningful content meets experiential design – and when young people are treated as equals.

The FAZ calls the game a “competence application” that sums up how journalism works – and what makes it credible. With gamification, we create experiences that stick – and set something in motion.