Mazer x PKO BP - Revolutionizing Financial Education with Poland's First Educational VR Game

Virtual Reality is becoming increasingly integrated into traditional education as technology advances in modern learning. As research shows, VR has a significant effect on students' learning, dramatically improving their results. To take advantage of this effect, the Mazer team designed, for the first time in Poland, a VR-based educational game for teaching personal finance. BKO BP Bank is the company's partner in developing the innovative tool.

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Pioneering VR-Based Educational Game Design

Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated world that can be viewed through special goggles (virtual reality headsets). As soon as you enter the 3D world, you can look around, move about, and interact with things and other users. That fusion of knowledge and fun creates the effect of “learning by doing”, used for training pilots, doctors, and now, even for teaching personal finance. Scientific research clearly indicates that VR can help students visualize angles and components that are helpful in solving problems.

It is very much a new territory for most designers and cinematographers to create immersive, spatial, and original VR media. However, Mazer uses cutting-edge XR technology to leave the competition behind. The company's particular focus is on originality and creativity in creating innovative solutions. “Connecting the real and virtual worlds and making the best use of both is the future", -Rafal Siejca, CEO of Mazer, in an interview with Forbes.

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Forward-Thinking Approach to Technology

Poland's one of the largest financial institutions, and also one of the leading financial groups in Central and Eastern Europe, PKO Bank Polski , fully understands the potential of cutting-edge technologies. The virtual version of PKO Rotunda, an iconic bank building in Warsaw, was created by Mazer and launched in the Metaverse in 2022. The combination of Mazer’ creativity and the innovative approach of the PKO BP bank quickly resulted in another project with a next-level gaming experience.

The “Moneyed Class” project is designed for middle and junior high school students. The VR gameplay, offering users total immersion in a realistic environment and unparalleled interactivity, is an enhanced teaching tool. By combining simulated financial scenarios, gamification of learning, and customizable educational modules, XR Wizards and PKO BP created a truly outstanding and quality experience.

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Mazer X PKO BP VR Game Project Overview

With the immersive VR game, based on the Mazer platform, young people learn more than just how to apply economic knowledge to their daily lives. Realistic financial decision-making and money management simulations are followed by introducing social attitudes such as recycling, teamwork, animal care, etc. By entering the next levels of the game, players gain additional points for demonstrating their understanding of economic concepts, financial management skills, and social values such as sustainability, ecology, etc.

In the game, each class member will be assigned to a team. Those without goggles can participate using a mobile device. The virtual game lasts 3 days. Every day, team members have tasks to complete. The final result depends on whether and how they cooperate. In the virtual apartment of their aunt, the young users have to manage their finances and pay the bills by having a certain amount of money. They can also use the money for their own expenses. By incorporating VR into scholarly education, students can learn practical financial skills by navigating money challenges in a safe environment.

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VR Game: Enhancing Financial Educationn

According to the OECD, Polish middle and junior high school students are among the most competent in the world for financial competence. The latest results of the report "The Level of Financial Knowledge of Poles in 2020" show however, that 83% of young people think they are the least qualified for financial knowledge. 48% of Polish teenagers between 12 and 15 get financial information from TikTok and YouTube. The goal of the XR Wizards and PKO BP VR game is to provide students with a more competent and, at the same time, more attractive source of economic knowledge.

With technology that appeals to young users and is becoming easier to use, the VR game combines the creativity and ingenuity needed to develop a successful game about financial education. Without a doubt, the first Polish VR game developed in cooperation with significant market players such as Mazer and PKO BP bank will contribute positively to young people's financial education.