The word 'gamer' might make you think of teens in darkened bedrooms. In reality, over 60% of all American gamers are adults, and the average gamer is a 30-year-old with a job and family. But why do we play games beyond childhood? And is the way we play as adults any different?

More than 7,000 pupils in 25 countries are learning with Classcraft, a platform that turns classrooms into MMORPGs. With the average young person in the US spending at least 10,000 hours playing online games by the age of 21, it seems like a logical move for education. But does gamification work for everyone?

With 70% of teachers saying that educational video games can increase student engagement, brands are keen to enter this area. LeapFrog is set to launch a smart gaming console LeapTV that aims to teach kids aged 3-8 maths, science and reading through video games.

Can games change a player's interests and opinions? 'Persuasive gaming' designers believe they can, and have set their sights on encouraging proactive approaches to well-being and prosocial behaviour through the first ever master's degree course in persuasive gaming.