LoFi Games: Empowering Learning Through Practical Gamification
TG Lightning Talks @ Melbourne International Games Week 2025
LoFi games is an innovative RMIT initiative, led by Pete Fernandes and Jairus Bowne, that uses cost-effective gamification through existing tools like Excel to create powerful educational simulations. We collaborate with academics and industry partners to build low-barrier, content-driven games with a strong emphasis on learning. We will showcase our flagship game, Chain Reaction which was built in collaboration with Paul Childerhouse and Boeing to make a procurement course assessment more fun, dynamic, challenging and engaging.
Pete Fernandes
He/Him
Pete Fernandes is a passionate educator and learning designer driven by a vision to ignite curiosity and foster a culture of lifelong learning through active, applied, and authentic educational experiences. At RMIT, he has successfully led initiatives such as “LoFi Games”, “Games in Learning” and “Beyond the Classroom” which have received recognition for their effectiveness in driving student engagement and improving learning outcomes. I love to play tabletop games like Imperial 2030 and enjoy RTS games. (AoE 2 is one of my favs) Big fan of Basketball and love Daily Fantasy Sports.
Jairus Bowne
He/Him
Jairus has spent over a decade in teaching and learning, holding roles at the University of Melbourne and Adelaide University, and is currently a Learning Designer at RMIT University. He managed a physical space for digital learning for five years, enabling educators to integrate hardware-based and education-focused games into their courses. Using gaming principles, Jairus has developed innovative educational content, such as a 3D virtual heart to enhance physiology and anatomy courses, and games created with H5P and Microsoft Excel where decisions impact outcomes, blending play with learning.