Players’ perceptions of learning, transferability, and future gaming: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis in Portugal

Despite extensive evidence on the effectiveness of games as learning spaces, players’ perceptions of learning transferability remain underexplored. Transferability refers to the ability to apply knowledge or skills beyond the context in which they were acquired. How players perceive and narrate this process is relevant to understanding the adoption and potential effectiveness of games for learning. This article reports a study exploring players’ perceptions of learning through video games, the transferability of game-related skills, and their views on the future of gaming and online spaces. Framed within a larger multi-method study, the Reflexive Thematic Analysis was based on two open-ended questions answered by a non-probabilistic sample of 627 Portuguese-speaking players ( M = 27.09 ; S D = 11.84 y e a r s ). Participants identified several skills and ideas that they perceived as acquired through video games and transferable to other areas of life, in cognitive, social, cultural, emotional, and creative dimensions. They also described a recurring tension between perceived benefits and risks, alternating between educational and economic opportunities, as well as concerns about addiction, isolation, and commercial exploitation. Although situated within the Portuguese context, these findings encourage broader discussion of gaming’s role in everyday life and support the need for further qualitative research on perceived transferability.