Serious Play Conference 2021 Online: the June 23-25 program
The 2021 Serious Play Conference ran online on June 23 to 25, 2021, with more than 100 sessions on games and simulations for training and education. The conference continues, and its site lists a 2026 edition at Duke University.
Updated
The 2021 online edition
The 2021 main conference took place from Wednesday to Friday, June 23 to 25, as an online event. Attendees could choose from more than 100 sessions aimed at instructional designers and training professionals who create, implement and evaluate serious games and simulations in professional training. Seven tracks covered game-based learning in government and military training, corporate and nonprofit settings, healthcare and education.
More than 35 of the sessions were practical instruction on instructional design, including courses on virtual and augmented reality. A second audience was librarians, teachers and higher education faculty who wanted to design game-based courses for K-20 in almost any subject. Educators, consultants and ed tech teachers already using game-based learning were to share their experience, and curriculum developers could choose from more than 35 sessions on building their own games, among them the use of virtual and augmented reality in school settings. Early bird prices were open when the event was announced in February 2021.
What is true today
The conference's website, seriousplayconf.com, is online. The page address that once offered the 2021 passes and prices no longer exists; the site now has a Tickets section instead. Its press kit lists Serious Play 2026 for August 5 to 7, 2026 at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, calls it the 19th year of the conference and describes it as North America's largest dedicated games and learning conference. It lists more than 80 sessions, over 120 speakers, an in-person format and pass prices from US$250 to US$750.
The 2026 tracks are Game Development, Higher Ed, K12, Healthcare, Culture & Society, Corporate, and Government & Non-Government. The site also links to Serious Play Europe at eu.seriousplayconf.com, and past speaker lists and awards winners for 2024, 2025 and 2026 are on the site.
The awards held with the conference
The International Serious Play Awards are given with the conference. The awards page says Sector Award winners are announced at Serious Play Europe in June, and Student & Special Award winners, including Game of the Year, at Serious Play North America in August. Each category recognizes three finalists and one winner, and the entry deadlines named on the page are March 15 for commercial and in-house digital entries and June 1 for student and tabletop entries.
Questions about the conference
When was the 2021 Serious Play Conference?
It was held online from Wednesday to Friday, June 23 to 25, 2021.
Is the Serious Play Conference still held?
Yes. The conference website lists a 2026 edition for August 5 to 7, 2026 at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, described as the 19th year.
Can the 2021 registration page still be used?
No. The page address for the 2021 passes and prices no longer loads, and the conference site now has its own Tickets section.