A key requirement was to create a visual world that was relatable to the student community and far removed from what you would expect from an investment firm. Complex, financial topics needed to be broken down into upbeat, digestible and enjoyable chunks.

Renowned artist Jose Mendez, whose clients include Apple, Nike and Vans, brought a tongue-in-cheek aesthetic that enhanced the visual language of the experience. The art style encapsulates the zeitgeist of the student community, surreal elements and bold use of colour for a striking twist to the characters and the game environments.

We then transformed Jose’s drawings into dynamic 3D characters, utilising bespoke shaders to build out an immersive world inspired by real neighbourhoods. The result is a quirky and surreal 3D environment built around a high-energy visual style that presents gameplay driven by relatable characters and realistic, but humorous moments.

The outcome of this process became How Not to Suck at Money, a Fin-Ed web game which equips the player with financial tips through nine unique scenarios, and most importantly, ‘5 Money Secrets’ that will be useful for life.

Driving these learning outcomes is an applied learning framework that is built around a core loop that encourages players to consider gameplay choices as their personal financial journeys. In-game and offline rewards, including a downloadable Money Playbook and a LinkedIn certification, are earned as tangible takeaways.

HNTSAM has been rolled out as part of the wider sponsorship programme for Invesco QQQ and the NCAA, reaching students across the US. To measure its impact, extensive data-tagging allows Invesco QQQ to understand how players are using the game and how to best scale development over time, ensuring that the game continues to be a valuable resource for new generations of students.

How Not to Suck at Money is free and available to play now.

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