Serious game conference guide: the Serious Play Conference in 2020
The Serious Play Conference is a serious game conference on games, simulations and gamification in training and education. In April 2020 it announced that its Orlando event would run online on the original June dates.
Updated
The 2020 edition goes online
On April 14, 2020, the Serious Play Conference announced from Orlando that it would hold its event online on the dates planned for the live version, Tuesday to Thursday, June 23 to 25, 2020. Executive Director Sue Bohle said the Covid-19 disruption made large summer gatherings impossible and that moving online was the best way to serve the community.
The online program offered more than 100 sessions on creating, using and valuing serious games and simulations, with a major focus on evaluation, assessment and return on investment. Registered attendees chose from six tracks, among them government and military training, corporate or nonprofit use, healthcare and education, and one track of more than 20 sessions on game and instructional design. Organizers invited attendees to try designing a game during three days of practical sessions and hands-on workshops, and to learn about evaluating, purchasing and using game-based learning. Technical hosts helped attendees connect and move between channels, and the whole conference was recorded. The organizers planned chat questions to speakers and private chat sessions on popular topics, and they rolled back early-bird pricing. Attendees could buy the full set of session recordings for a discounted $200.
The announcement described the conference as the only one offering sessions and workshops on every application of serious games and simulations, from military and government to corporate, nonprofit, healthcare and education. Pre-conference sessions for people asked to run serious game programs, and for those new to game-based learning, took place on Monday, June 22. Workshops for developers on federal grants and military contracts followed on June 25 and 26.
What the conference lists now
The conference is still active in November 2026. Its main address opens a landing page that lets visitors choose an edition. The North American edition lists dates of August 3 to 5 at the University of Washington in Seattle, with program and speaker pages for 2026. A separate European edition lists June 23 and 24, 2027, in Mainz, Germany, with tickets on sale.
Both sites describe this serious game conference as an event on how play, games and gamification are used in education, training and knowledge mobilization. They name six tracks spanning education, healthcare, cultural institutions, research, corporate, not-for-profit and government work, and they carry an awards section with winners pages for 2024, 2025 and 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Serious Play Conference still held?
Yes. The conference's websites in November 2026 list a North American edition in Seattle and a European edition for June 2027 in Mainz.
Why did the 2020 conference move online?
Its organizers said the Covid-19 disruption made large gatherings impossible that summer, so they held the event online on the original dates, June 23 to 25, 2020.
What does the conference cover?
It covers the use of play, games and gamification in education, training and knowledge mobilization, across six tracks that include healthcare, corporate, government and education.