Transforming Pixels into Plates: Harnessing Game Strategies for Sustainable Food Practices

This study examines how digital games employ game design strategies to encourage sustainable food practices, addressing a gap in existing research, which has focused largely on nutrition literacy and dietary behavior change rather than food sustainability. Conducted as part of the Horizon Europe FOODMISSION project, the work argues that the effectiveness of gamified approaches depends on tailoring strategies to the target audience and objectives, since a universal approach is often ineffective. Prior literature cited in the study suggests that scaffolding through structured challenges can motivate hesitant individuals, tracking strategies can enhance environmental responsibility and self-efficacy, and cooperative mechanics can boost motivation toward sustainable behavior.

The methodology is qualitative and remains in progress, with a target of analyzing at least 40 games. Researchers used comprehensive sampling, identifying all matching cases through systematic searches of Google, app stores, and platforms such as Steam. Eligible titles must address sustainable food practices, be available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Dutch, or require no language, be definable as games, and be at least partially digital. Data collection followed the "utilitarian" analytical play approach described by Mäyrä (2008), and analysis applied thematic game analysis after Fernández-Vara (2024), examining which strategies are used for specific facets of sustainability and how they are implemented.

Because the study is ongoing, the authors do not yet report final findings. They anticipate that the results will clarify how digital games communicate food sustainability themes and inform the design of future games that support broader educational and environmental objectives.