Player Empowerment
Education does not change the world. Education changes people. People change the world.
Paulo Freire
Player Empowerment places players in that transformative role. By allowing their actions to shape outcomes, the game turns participation into agency. Players are not passive recipients of the experience—they actively influence it, making choices that matter.
In Dishonored the game tracks your deeds with the ‘chaos’ system which drastically changes the story and the game world. This makes the player really care about not just getting to the end of the game but also the manner of how they complete the game.
Empowerment gives learners choice and agency over their experience, such as choosing their learning path, the order of modules, or the format of the content (e.g., video vs. text). This builds a sense of responsibility and self-directedness, moving away from traditional, directive teaching methods. When learners feel like the “protagonists” of their own growth, their motivation and engagement increase significantly.
By giving learners the “power” to make choices – even simple ones like an avatar’s appearance – you foster a feeling of independence. This sense of agency is vital for adult learning, where participants often seek autonomy and a feeling of control over their personal development.
Remember that empowerment can take many forms. It may range from small personal choices, such as appearance customization, to advanced mechanics that allow learners to influence the game world, story, or systems.
Make player actions meaningful. Empowerment becomes stronger when decisions visibly affect outcomes, relationships, environments, or future possibilities.
Avoid fake choices. If learners are given options, their consequences should feel authentic rather than purely cosmetic or predetermined.
Give learners opportunities to express themselves. Allowing different strategies, styles, or approaches can strengthen engagement and ownership of the experience.