PlayGen

PlayGen was a British games and interactive studio focused on serious games, applied simulations and gamification. Founded in London in 2001, it developed digital experiences for education, public policy, healthcare, science and enterprise. Its work combined game mechanics, cognitive psychology and behavioral economics to help people explore complex subjects, understand consequences and practise decisions through interactive scenarios.

The studio produced web-based role-playing experiences, 3D training simulations, mobile applications and multiplayer social platforms. Its services extended from game design and prototyping through production, alongside digital strategy, behavioral design, user experience and platform architecture. Projects addressed subjects that could be difficult, expensive or risky to explore directly, including violent extremism, flood protection, nuclear energy and health.

Applied games and simulations

Among its documented projects, Choices & Voices used branching scenarios to explore youth conflict and the consequences of violent extremism. Developed for West Midlands Police and aligned with the Department for Children, Schools and Families, it reflected the studio’s use of interactive storytelling for public education. FloodSim, developed for Norwich Union, later Aviva, let participants investigate flood defense policy and economics.

Its science and learning work included NanoMission, a series of 3D games exploring nanotechnology and cell biology with FEI Company, and the Dalton Nuclear Simulator, developed with the University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute. Other projects explored careers, climate-related health effects, team creativity and environmental participation. The studio also established an internal health division for patient compliance and wellness applications.

Alongside commissioned production, PlayGen participated in European research programmes, including Framework Programme 7 and Horizon 2020. These collaborations connected its commercial development work with academic research into applied gaming, learning and social engagement. Its regional research presence in Coventry supported those academic relationships.

PlayGen retired from active operations in 2020. Its operating company was formally dissolved on 16 March 2021, and its website remains as a record of the studio’s work.