Supporting Debt: A Game Jam Inspiration is a recorded webinar with presentation slides from Zoud Counseling Manager Leire Beltran Sagaseta.
Summary: Most people don’t fall into debt through one bad decision, a shock like a medical bill or lost income forces a loan, and the interest, fees, and shame that follow make it harder to climb back out. This session breaks down how debt actually works, covering loan mechanics, common debt products like credit cards and BNPL, repayment strategies (snowball vs. avalanche), and where people can get real support, then closes with six game theme ideas and five design principles for building a debt game that teaches without shaming.
Big Idea: People rarely fall into debt through one bad decision. It’s a cycle, an unexpected shock, a loan to cover it, more fees, more shame, more borrowing, and most of what keeps someone stuck isn’t math, it’s confidence, visibility, and not knowing the first step.
Playable Takeaway: Interest that compounds visibly turn by turn, or a race between snowball and avalanche repayment on the same debts, are mechanics that turn an invisible financial process into something players can watch and feel. The session’s six game theme ideas, from a debt escape room to a tower-defense built on compounding interest, are a starting menu for jammers who want a tested direction rather than a blank page.
Watch the full session above or on YouTube here.
Access the presentation slides here.