How can young people become active creators of culture through games? At EPIC-WE, this question sits at the heart of our mission — and Mary Flanagan has been asking it long before we launched.
A game designer, researcher, artist, and founder of Tiltfactor Lab at Dartmouth College, Mary is a pioneer in value-centred game design. Her book Values at Play in Digital Games has been a foundational resource for EPIC-WE’s methodology. As a member of our Advisory Board, she continues to help us explore how values and culture can intersect meaningfully through game-making.
Missed Mary’s talk at our capacity building sessions? Catch the key takeaways here.
More Than Just a Game: Putting Values at the Center
Flanagan’s work revolves around a simple yet transformative idea: games are cultural artifacts. And as such, they express values. Whether consciously or not, every game communicates something about the world. For Flanagan, the goal is to make that process intentional. At Tiltfactor, she and her team have spent two decades developing methods to help creators design games that reflect values such as equity, inclusion, or community. Tools like the Grow-a-Game deck help participants explore values through accessible prompts and scenarios, making ideation more reflective and structured, without being overwhelming. “The important thing,” Flanagan explains, “is that values don’t have to be abstract. We can treat them like design challenges. What does caring look like in a game? What does freedom of expression mean as a mechanic? These become starting points for creativity.” This value-first approach has been instrumental in shaping EPIC-WE’s methodology. Rather than seeing values as add-ons, we embed them in the design process itself – from ideation to prototyping.
Making Cultural Values Tangible
While values are often easy to discuss, culture can be more elusive, especially when the goal is to create games that express shared European identities or heritage. Flanagan acknowledges this challenge. “It’s hard to talk about ‘culture’ without drifting into abstraction,” she says. “That’s why facilitators need tools, examples, and ways to ground the conversation.” Her suggestion? Start with real cultural references and encourage participants to remix them by modifying a known game, imagining a new one, or even drawing storyboards. This doesn’t just break down barriers to participation — it also helps participants internalize the value of what they’re creating. In her own work, Flanagan has led inclusive game-making projects where coding wasn’t required. Participants could contribute ideas, images, or narratives, shifting the focus from technical skills to cultural storytelling. “Inclusion,” she says, “starts with how we define contribution.”
Centering the Process, Not Just the Product
A recurring theme in Mary’s work, and a core value of EPIC-WE, is the importance of the process. In value-based game design, it’s not about shipping a flawless game. It’s about what happens along the way: the conversations, the decisions, the reflections. “Community, values, and ideation are central to the process,” she explains. “It’s critical that your evaluation captures that – not just the game at the end. Centring on the process, not just the product, has long been a key value in the arts. Oftentimes, we separate art and design processes, but there is much to be gained by looking at creative processes outside of the design world. As an artist, I think I understand that instinctively, and it is a wonderful new lens through which to see games” This is especially relevant in cultural game jams, where expectations can be high, especially when industry partners or institutions are involved. Flanagan encourages organisers to shift the narrative from perfection to participation. “Celebrate ambitious ideas, creative risk-taking, and strong collaboration,” she suggests. “Maybe give awards for ‘Best Process’ or ‘Most Meaningful Collaboration.’ It changes what success looks like.”
Designing for Empowerment and Agency
Beyond cultural values and inclusivity, EPIC-WE also aims to nurture a sense of agency in young participants. Flanagan believes game-making is uniquely positioned to do just that. “Game creation gives people the chance to shape systems, make choices, and tell their own stories,” she says. But it must be approached thoughtfully. Power dynamics within teams, especially in mixed-age or interdisciplinary groups, can sometimes undermine inclusion. Neurodiverse participants or those new to game design may feel left out unless facilitators create supportive structures. Her advice: make sure everyone has a meaningful role. Offer collaborative challenges with no single “winner.” Use mid-jam presentations to encourage peer learning and reduce anxiety. And build jams around conversations, not just coding.
“In my university classes,” she shares, “I use paper prototypes instead of digital ones. That way, the focus is on ideas and values; not on who knows how to code.”
Final Thoughts: From Process to Legacy
As one of the thought leaders shaping EPIC-WE’s methodology, Mary Flanagan reminds us that games are more than play. They’re a language. A toolkit. A way for young people to express who they are and what they value.
Her parting advice?
“Think about what you want the experience to feel like. How do you want participants to see themselves afterward? That’s where empowerment begins.”
At EPIC-WE, we’re building not just games, but new cultural imaginaries. And thanks to voices like Mary’s, we’re doing it with care, clarity, and a deep commitment to values-driven design.
