Opinion Paper Type: The Need for Pedagogical Approaches in Cross-cultural Design Practices in the US Midwest

Cross-cultural design practices in game development is an essential component for enriching player engagement and hence an important learning element to be integrated in games education. There is a need for standardized frameworks, design heuristics that validate the process, and instructional material for effective contribution to games pedagogy, research, and practice. This article reflects the pedagogical approaches and student perception of introducing a project-based cross cultural design analysis of games in a Midwestern university's game development program in the United States. Class observations, reflections, and a thematic analysis of student work show an emphasis on how students analyzed games through the lenses of tangible cultural artifacts and intangible cultural elements depicting traditions and human expressions. Student reflections indicate a growth in cultural competencies that include cultural self-awareness and exploration of different worldviews. Students also perceived the significance of applying cross-cultural design approaches in their own game development projects.