Game to lift ADHD awareness Deficit

A new, story-driven video game that immerses players into the lived experience of a person with ADHD has been released.

The goal of Deficit is to help people with ADHD feel seen and validated, while helping others understand more about it in a safe way.

Deficit’s development is being led by Perth-born Ceri Hutton and Melbourne-based Gabriella Lowgren, who both have ADHD.

The game was recently awarded funding from Screen Australia’s new Emerging Gamemakers Fund, which offered up to $30,000 per project.

Guided by human design principles, the game is being developed with heavy input from people with ADHD, kicking off with a survey that received more than 1,200 responses in seven days, the vast majority from people with ADHD or who suspect they have it.

On the rise

The number of people diagnosed with ADHD has been increasing in recent years. While the number of those diagnosed with ADHD is not tracked in Australia, according to documents released by the Department of Health and Aged Care last year, prescriptions for ADHD medications more than doubled between 2018 and 2022.

It is now estimated that 1 million Australians have ADHD, which is about one in 20 people.

Given these numbers, it’s no surprise employers are increasingly looking at ways to better support and accommodate their neurodiverse staff.

And as the overwhelming response to the survey reflects, the release of Deficit couldn’t be more timely.

Empathy machines

One of the ways to increase workplace equity and inclusion around neurodiversity is by increasing understanding of what it’s like to have ADHD, which is exactly what Deficit is all about.

Games give players choices and agency, which makes them active participants, rather than other media forms that are more passive, Ms Lowgren says.

“I think games are such a powerful way to put people in the shoes of someone who has ADHD so that they can build empathy and understand that experience in a much deeper way,” she said.

Indeed, games are often described as ‘empathy machines’ by those in the industry.

To prove her point, Ms Lowgren shared a story about a talk she gave on mental health representation and video games at GDC in San Francisco, one of the world’s largest video game industry conferences.

After the talk, an older man came up to Ms Lowgren and thanked her for making a game called Growing Pains, which is about anorexia.

Confused, because the man wasn’t the game’s usual demographic, Ms Lowgren thanked him and asked why the game was important to him.

“My friend recommended that I play it because my wife died from anorexia, and the game made me realise that it wasn’t my fault,” he said.

Playing to learn

There is mounting evidence that play and games are among the most effective ways to learn and retain knowledge.

“There’s a lot of new research out there about how practical play and learning through games is one of the highest forms of engagement and education,” Mr Hutton told Business News.

“So, I think if workplaces were to have people play our game and then talk about what they learned, book-club style, it would really cement that knowledge as opposed to just reading or being given a ‘tick and flick’ quiz.”

Neurodiversity

A free demonstration, or vertical slice, which gives players a taste of the experience will be available during the first quarter of 2025.

Until then, there are several actions employers can take to best support their staff with ADHD.

The number one thing is understanding that neurodivergence can manifest in many different ways, depending on things like gender and upbringing.

“It’s not one size fits all,” Ms Lowgren said.

“When it comes to accommodations and things like that, you really do need to talk to your employees individually [about] what their needs are so they can thrive and be the most productive.”

Do you have questions or feedback for the Deficit team? They invite you to get in touch via http://TheADHDrpg.com 

• Dr Kate Raynes-Goldie is a cultural anthropologist specialising in human communication, innovation and AI. She is also a keynote speaker, Certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator and the creator of SUPERCONNECT®