This War of Mine, the 2014 survival game from 11 bit Studios that tackles the horrors of war, will be added to the reading list for Polish students in the next academic year.
Prime Minister of Poland Mateusz Morawiecki has confirmed that that game, which is heavily inspired by the Siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War between 1992 and 1996, will be added to the Polish reading list and will be available for free to students who are studying sociology, ethics, philosophy or history. Due to the game’s age rating, it will only be available to students aged 18 and over.
The player in This War if Mine is forced to make moral choices in order to get food, medicine and shelter. The title has been praised by Washington Post, Die Welt, The Guardian and other prestigious media around the world.
This is a great example of how video games can support education by telling stories and raising important ethical issues. Video games are an intrinsic part of 21st century society and bring enormous benefits especially when used appropriately in a school setting where they are proven to increase student engagement and learning outcomes, develop team-building, problem-solving and mental agility.
