Earlier this year I wrote about Flick a Trade, which is a game designed to teach players about life as a financial trader.  The game places players into a realistic trading environment that can be accessed via mobile phone or tablet.

Players can trade in a range of things, including commodities, up to 75 currencies and share indices that are mirrored to live markets.  Whilst actual markets shut at the weekend, players can continue by accessing ten fantasy commodities that are powered by the games in-built algorithm.

Financial education

It is part of a wider movement aimed at deepening our knowledge of finance via innovative digital projects.  Another interesting venture is the New Zealand based Banqer, which aims to provide players with an insight into how the modern banking system operates.

The platform aims to teach players about banking and financial transactions with the aid of a virtual currency that they can earn by completing various tasks.

It’s very much designed for school age children, and comes with a number of teacher tools to help instructors produce lesson plans that are based around real-world financial activities such as insurance or real estate.

Students are also taught about things like interest rates as the savings they accrue throughout the game generate interest for them, but their income is also liable for tax, so fiscal responsibility is also part of the process.  The game goes on to explain why taxes are required.

Social gaming

It’s a nice example of a growing number of social games that try and educate players in a worthwhile way.  For instance, a few years ago I wrote about Fort McMoney, a game set in the Canadian oil town of Fort McMurray.  Players are required to juggle the various financial, social and environmental challenges involved in running such a town, with the aim being to teach players about the complexities involved.

With games remaining popular, it’s nice to see a growing number combining education with entertainment.  Check out more about Banqer in the video below.