McDonalds : Fan(4) Tastic!

Using this game as an example, discuss whether it is possible for a game to be successful on two levels: both in terms of its goals as a game (creating meaningful play and engagement/flow), and as a serious game (achieving specific learning objectives, conveying a political message, or other non-entertainment objectives).

At first glance, the game seems promising. The tutorial at the beginning of the game was very effective in getting beginners to understand the mechanics of the game. For familiarity, the game even uses existing interface style used in other Sim games. But unlike the Sim games where you can neither lose or win the game, in McDonald’s game, there is a longer term goal of staying in business, or rather, not ending the game by getting bankrupt.

A few sessions into game play, I wasn’t expecting Sim City Mcdonalds’ Edition, or Pizza Tycoon or anything, but at least I expected a way so that I could survive the game and become a millionaire; Call me an amateur gamer, but there is no way I could ever beat this game, with or without corruption!

The game provides an illusion of interactivity in which through a series of both ethically and morally questionable decisions in each of the operational sectors (such as use of genetic modifications, deforestation, hormone injections, corruption etc), you can determine the performance of the business and keep it out of bankruptcy. There seems to be an illusion of flow as well, because as you grow your productions on one sector, you have to balance it with the other sectors by implementing whatever measures necessary to keep the business out of the red. However the truth is, no matter what the players do, the game will fall short on one or more of the production sectors, and the game becomes a sort of closed system with a single predetermined course of outcome.

So this game fails in both aspects: In terms of meaningful play, it offers too little interactivity/ options for people to be engaged in a play of roles and outcomes; no matter what you do, straight or corrupt, you still will end up bankrupt.

In terms of other non-entertainment objectives, it is not clear what the game is trying to teach the players: The over-simplification of what would be complex workings of the fast food industry, or how to maintain a legit business by using ethically questionable practices such as corruption?

The game however presented us an interesting depiction of the interrelation workings of the fast food industry, and helps us a mental model of how the business operates. But the skills and knowledge gained in playing the game is hard to relate to any practical skills in real world.