Infusing Science and Sustainability Concepts in Game Design: A Qualitative Content Analysis of a Physics-Based Mobile Game

Digital games offer significant potential for education, especially when purposefully designed to promote conceptual understanding and critical thinking. This study examines how the mobile game Where’s My Water? 2 integrates scientific and sustainability concepts through its game design. A qualitative content analysis identified 57 concepts, primarily in physics (fluid dynamics, energy transformation), along with environmental, chemical, and biological elements. These concepts are infused through the game’s gameplay, scenarios, interactive objects, characters, and challenges, which make science both intuitive and engaging. While the game shows strong educational potential, it also highlights the need for guided reflection to prevent misconceptions and maximize learning outcomes. The findings call for collaboration between game designers, educators, and computer scientists to develop interactive, adaptive, and narrative-driven elements that not only engage players but also deepen their learning experience.