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This paper presents some results from the “Sociogamers project”, developed at the University of Turin starting in 2024, which integrates game design into social sciences curricula to foster a critical understanding of sociotechnical systems and promote forms of critical digital citizenship (Barsotti et. al., 2025; Repetto & Tirocchi, 2025). In particular, the paper focuses on the interactions between gamification and recent developments in artificial intelligence, drawing on the perspectives and experiences of the students involved in the project and reflecting on how educational practices can support critical engagement with contemporary digital platforms and data-driven environments.

The project adopts a Design Thinking approach and a peer-to-peer learning model in which students from the courses Game Based Learning and Sociology of Education (starting from a learning needs assessment of the “Network Society” course) collaboratively design immersive educational games using the Delightex Edu platform (Gros, 2007; Asad et al., 2021; Alrehaili, & Al Osman, 2022; Di Natale et al., 2020).

This approach resonates with research on digital media making that emphasises the importance of enabling young people to become active creators rather than passive consumers of digital content (McGillivray et al., 2016).

Within the project students developed a series of educational games, “sociogames”, each focused on specific sociological concepts and social processes including social capital, group segregation, descriptive social norms, among others. By translating theoretical concepts into interactive scenarios students simulate social dynamics dilemmas and decision-making processes typical of complex social systems fostering experiential learning and critical reflection while engaging in practices of digital making and collaborative problem-solving.

The study is based on a questionnaire administered to 78 university students who participated in the game design activity. The sample consists of students enrolled in the Game Based Learning course with a smaller group from Sociology of Education. The analysis combines descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis of open-ended responses to explore students’ perceptions of the learning experience and the competencies developed through the co-creation process.

Preliminary findings highlight the collaborative and creative dimensions of game design as key drivers of engagement and learning. Students particularly emphasize teamwork brainstorming and the opportunity to translate sociological concepts into interactive scenarios. The competencies most frequently reported include collaboration, problem solving, creativity, digital skills and instructional design abilities (Marin-Zapata et al., 2022; Kopolovich, 2020).

A relevant dimension emerging from the analysis concerns the development of digital and AI-related competencies. 31 responses out of 78 include references to artificial intelligence programming or digital tools used for game development while 6 students explicitly mention AI or similar technologies among the competencies acquired. Overall approximately 40% of participants associate the project with the development of digital and AI-related skills including the use of immersive software such as Delightex basic programming logic and the translation of theoretical concepts into interactive digital models.

Future research could further investigate how artificial intelligence might be integrated into gamified learning environments to generate adaptive scenarios, personalised feedback and dynamic game mechanics responding to learners’ profiles motivations and interactions within digital platforms (Abbes, Bennani, & Maalel, 2024).