Could sales concerns drive the curricular focus of computer games to the lowest common denominator?
Even if the educational quality of computer games can safeguarded, there remains the question of the audience for whom a game is developed. Nearly every college and university offers introductory courses in science, social science, humanities, and other basic curricular areas. The content of these courses, however, may differ markedly from one institution to another. In order to achieve the greatest sales volume, computer games should be designed to reach the broadest possible audience. Could this result in a Wal-Mart effect, bringing educational standards (as embodied in computer games) down to the lowest common denominators? How would computer games be integrated with traditional teaching methods? The key ingredient of a computer game its ability to produce intense interest among players might put it into competition with traditional instructional activities such as reading assignments, lectures, paper writing, lab exercises, etc. In the same way that a growing number of students opt
