PlayForward: Elm City Stories

PlayForward: Elm City Stories is a pioneering "serious game" developed by Schell Games in collaboration with Yale University's play2PREVENT Lab. Built on the Unity engine for Mobile platforms, the game was designed as a behavioral health intervention for Middle and High School students. Set in a fictionalized version of New Haven (Elm City), the game allows players to create an avatar and navigate through a series of "life chapters." By making choices related to peer pressure, school, and health, players see how small decisions can ripple out to have long-term consequences on their future. The project was the subject of rigorous clinical trials, demonstrating that interactive role-playing can effectively reduce risk-taking behaviors and improve health knowledge in adolescents.

• Schell Games
• Yale University's play2PREVENT Lab
• Life-simulation
• "Future Self" visualization
• longitudinal consequences
• Branching narrative
• avatar customization
• social-emotional skill building

What is the meaning of the title "PlayForward"?

The title refers to the game's core mechanic: the ability to see how choices made today affect a character's future. The game uses a "fast-forward" mechanic where players can see the outcomes of their decisions months or years later, helping them internalize the link between current actions and future goals.

How does the game simulate "Peer Pressure"?

The game uses a complex branching dialogue system. Players are frequently placed in "high-pressure" social scenes where they must choose how to respond to friends who are encouraging risky behaviors. The game tracks "Social Capital"—showing how standing up for oneself might affect reputation in the short term but lead to better life outcomes in the long term.

Is there clinical evidence that this game works?

Yes. PlayForward is one of the most studied "serious games" in the world. Clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) showed that students who played the game had significantly higher health knowledge and more positive behavioral intentions regarding risk reduction compared to a control group that received standard health education.

What is "Elm City"?

"Elm City" is a nickname for New Haven, Connecticut, where Yale University is located. The game world is designed to look and feel like an urban environment that students can recognize, making the social challenges and characters feel authentic rather than abstract.

Can you customize your character?

Yes. Character customization is a vital part of the intervention. Research shows that when a player "identifies" with their avatar, they are more likely to take the in-game consequences personally. By letting students design an avatar that looks like them, the game increases the "transformational" power of the health lessons.

Who was the primary funder for this project?

The project was largely supported by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), illustrating its importance as a public health tool for minority and at-risk youth populations.