When it came to selecting a topic for our BBA service field project, the topic of end-of-life planning stood out to us. Considering the personal experiences and interests of our team members, we decided to delve into this topic and create a unique card game that could eliminate the social stigma surrounding end-of-life planning.
We recognized that end-of-life planning is a crucial lesson for everyone, especially in an ageing society like Singapore. My personal experience with end-of-life planning began with my grandmother, who was affected by Alzheimer’s disease. I remember vividly how my mother and aunties were suddenly thrust into a caregiver role when my grandmother was afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease, leading to a loss of mobility in her later years. It was a distressing period for them as they were blindsided by issues related to end-of-life. Looking back, we could have alleviated some of the burdens if we had engaged in conversations about end-of-life planning earlier.
Journey to gamifying legacy planning
With a Singapore start-up called Immortalize, an online elderhood marketplace and information provider, as the sponsor, we started our journey with a study into the cultural and social barriers that make people shun or neglect any mention of end-of-life. We discovered that in our relatively conservative society, end-of-life is a taboo issue. Due to a lack of discussion and understanding of the topic, family members including caregivers are faced with multi-faceted problems related to palliative and hospice care, legal, financial and funeral planning, as well as mental and emotional stress due to the death of a loved one. There are also other unique complications as shared by the real-life cases that we had the opportunity to interview with. Although there are educational talks, exhibitions and workshops for the public on end-of-life matters, they tend to be unengaging.
We knew that we needed an educational tool that was less “in your face”, able to sustain the attention of individuals and encourage in-person interactions. This sparked the idea of gamification as the solution to imbue the knowledge of end-of-life planning.
What followed next was six months of market research, analysis and card game development. To make the game interesting and engaging, we created a unique backstory centred around a fictitious game character, Peter Devan, a tycoon aged 60 who was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer. As time was running out, he had to seek assistance for his family members to help him plan for the assets he would be leaving behind. Players of the game would take on the different roles of the family members to outwit each other with strategies. Through the game, players learn in a fun way about the importance of end-of-life planning and the critical decisions that must be made to ensure a fulfilling and secured legacy.
Named the “Will of Fortune by Immortalize”, the card game went through the critical phase of testing with legacy planning practitioners including a doctor, lawyer, financial specialist and funeral planner. It was a boost of confidence when we received positive feedback on the playability, authenticity and effectiveness of the card game. We knew that we could now go to market with a product that would impact our community. “Will of Fortune by Immortalize” will be available to the public in July 2023.
