SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – The Center for Infrastructure Assurance and Security (CIAS) at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) is proud to announce that its educational card game, Cyber Threat Defender (CTD), has been recognized as a Silver Medal winner in the 2025 International Serious Play Awards Program.
 
Each year, the Serious Play Awards honor outstanding educational games from around the world. In this year’s competition, nine tabletop and board games were cited for excellence in promoting learning through play.
 
Cyber Threat Defender is a fast-paced, collectible card game designed to teach players ages 11 and up about real-world cybersecurity concepts, threats and defense strategies. By combining fun gameplay with meaningful lessons, CTD has been used by educators, cybersecurity professionals and community leaders to increase cyber awareness and strengthen cybersecurity education.
 
Judges praised the game for its impact and intuitive design, sharing feedback such as: “I came away with improved conceptual understanding of cybersecurity” and “the design and gameplay were overall intuitive, and accurately models concepts and aspects related to computer assets, defenses, threats and their different categories.”
 
“We are honored to be recognized on the international stage for our efforts to make cybersecurity education engaging and accessible,” said Larry Sjelin, associate director at the CIAS. “This award affirms the impact of Cyber Threat Defender in classrooms and communities, inspiring the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.”
 
The Serious Play Conference brings together professionals who are exploring the use of game-based learning, sharing their experience, and working together to shape the future of training and education. The annual awards program highlights innovative tools like Cyber Threat Defender that help bridge the gap between learning and play.
 
For more information about the Serious Play Award Program, visit https://seriousplayconf.com/awards/.