Serious Narrative Microgames as a Remedy for Gamification Limitations: The Case of the Platform for Making Games for Mobile CBT Therapies

This paper argues that traditional gamification mechanics such as points, badges, rankings, and prizes have limited effectiveness in mobile mental health applications, and that interactive, narrative-driven serious microgames offer a more suitable alternative for supporting cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). The authors position their work within a growing market for digital therapeutics and mental e-health, where gamification is recognized as a retention and adherence tool, though it is used less frequently than might be expected. Existing studies are cited as showing positive effects of gamified apps on engagement and therapeutic outcomes, but the authors contend that standard mechanics may fail users who lack gaming experience or who suffer from conditions such as occupational burnout, for whom these mechanics can feel tiring or off-putting.

The core contribution is a research and development project carried out by the company Prosoma, which is developing a content management platform for designing and distributing short interactive digital narratives tied to therapeutic goals. The project produced 16 microgames varying in narrative progression, graphic style, and therapeutic purpose, structured as interactive video episodes depicting real-life situations of characters in mental crisis. Users learn to apply CBT tools through their decisions. These games are slated for pilot implementation in two of the company's existing products, Living Well, aimed at oncology patients experiencing mental crisis, and UpBalance, aimed at people experiencing work-related burnout. The stated research aims are to measure effects on short- and long-term retention and on therapy completion rates, which are treated as indicators of adherence.

The development process was interdisciplinary, drawing on psychologists, game studies scholars, game and story designers, and UX researchers. It included an analysis of narrative structures in serious and entertainment games addressing mental illness, such as Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, Fractured Minds, and That Dragon Cancer, to determine which CBT protocols and narrative forms suit non-linear interactive formats. The authors also examined whether mental-state monitoring tools could be embedded within narrative structures, since users often find conventional monitoring tedious. The paper is a project-stage presentation, so it reports design rationale and planned evaluation rather than completed outcome data, and its findings on effectiveness remain to be established through the pilot deployment.