Despite Singapore students being among the top readers in the world, a concerning trend emerged when a Ministry of Education survey revealed that the percentage of students who "enjoy reading a lot" had fallen from 60 percent in 2011 to 51 percent in 2023. Meanwhile, at least 75 percent of Singaporeans play video or mobile games. Recognizing an opportunity to bridge this gap, the National Library Board (NLB) of Singapore created Playbrary — an innovative AI-powered platform that transforms classic literature into interactive, choose-your-own-adventure experiences. Using modern language learning models (LLMs) already trained on classic literature, the NLB team developed an AI model that could automatically deconstruct linear plots into branching narratives, complete with missions, multiple endings, and scenarios that adapt to players' decisions while preserving the original stories' integrity.
Without any media budget, the campaign was promoted organically through carefully selected gaming key opinion leaders (KOLs) on platforms like Twitch, whose interests in reading were cross-referenced across other social media channels. Since its April 2024 launch, Playbrary has attracted 30,000 visitors who engaged with over 2.5 million pages of content, spending an average of 12 minutes per book — demonstrating how the fusion of gaming and literature can make reading more accessible and engaging for modern audiences.
The National Library Board of Singapore (NLB) needed to address the dwindling interest in traditional reading, especially among younger audiences. A recent survey by Singapore's Ministry of Education showed that the percentage of Singaporean students who "enjoy reading a lot" had fallen to 51 percent in 2023, compared to 60 percent in 2011. Conversely, with at least 75 percent of Singaporeans playing video or mobile games, the NLB identified an opportunity to integrate the allure of modern technology with the enriching experience of traditional book reading to reignite a love for literature.
Singapore's Ministry of Education attributed the decline in reading to relentless competition from digital entertainment formats and channels from around the world. However, in an interconnected world flooded with content options, it remains crucial for Singaporeans to become proficient and discerning readers — a skill that starts with nurturing a love for reading, particularly in children. As books form the core of NLB's service, the organization sought to deliver traditional content in an engaging manner that would pique readers' interest and encourage book borrowing.
A vice principal from Xishan Primary School noted in a Channel News Asia interview: "In today's digital era, I think what's important is that students must be able to engage with texts that are multimodal in nature, that means more than just the print." This insight underscored the need to find a good balance for modern audiences who are accustomed to interactive digital experiences.
The campaign targeted all young learners and adults who once loved reading but had lost their enthusiasm, aiming to help them rediscover the joy of literature. This broad audience included both current students who might be reading out of necessity rather than enjoyment and adults who had drifted away from regular reading due to competing entertainment options.
The creative strategy centered on transforming traditional linear narratives into interactive, game-like experiences that would appeal to an audience familiar with video games while maintaining the integrity and value of classic literature. By leveraging AI to create branching storylines based on existing books, the NLB could offer a novel way to experience literature that aligned with modern preferences for choice and interactivity.
The media strategy, operating with zero budget, involved the careful selection of gaming KOLs relevant to the Singaporean audience on various streaming platforms such as Twitch. This process included thorough cross-referencing of their interests in reading, books, and storytelling on other social media channels like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok to ensure maximum relevancy and engagement with the target audience.
The strategy also incorporated a direct connection to NLB's services: once children "played" a story on Playbrary, they could loan the original book from NLB's catalogue of physical books and eBooks, creating a bridge between the digital experience and traditional reading materials.
The execution of the Playbrary campaign centered on innovative use of AI technology to create an entirely new way of experiencing literature, without any media budget for promotion:
AI Technology Implementation
Modern language learning models (LLMs), including ChatGPT, have already been trained on vast libraries of classic literature such as Frankenstein, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Building on this foundation of over 250 million pages of the greatest stories ever written, the NLB team trained an AI model to deconstruct linear plots into branching storylines.
This AI model automatically transformed classic stories into interactive narratives, generating each scene, character, dialog, and even adapting writing and art styles appropriate for each book. The system defined missions based on the main character's story arc, allowing players to make choices that would affect the game's outcome. The model created multiple endings and scenarios that adapted to players' decisions while eventually reconverging with the original book's script.
Importantly, Playbrary preserved the original stories' integrity, character dialogues, and authors' tone and intent while restructuring the narratives to present challenges that promoted deeper and more dynamic reading experiences. The platform also offered a free prompt generator, ensuring that everyone could enjoy the fusion of reading and gaming.
Organic Promotion Strategy
Playbrary relied entirely on organic promotion through carefully selected channels:
This execution represented a novel approach to literature that acknowledged modern preferences for interactive, choice-driven experiences while maintaining respect for classic stories. By transforming reading into a game-like activity without compromising literary value, Playbrary offered a bridge between traditional literature and digital entertainment that could appeal to audiences who had drifted away from regular reading.
Since its launch in April 2024, Playbrary has achieved significant results despite having zero paid media support:
User Engagement
These metrics are particularly impressive considering the campaign's complete lack of media budget and its reliance on organic promotion through gaming KOLs. The 12-minute average engagement time per book indicates that users are deeply interacting with the content rather than merely browsing — a strong indicator of genuine interest in the transformed literary experiences.
Long-term Impact Assessment
As Playbrary only launched in April 2024, full tracking studies to measure the impact on the overall interest in traditional reading have not yet been completed. However, the initial results are promising indicators of how the platform has transformed reading into a fun and interactive experience, encouraging a deeper connection with literature and making it more accessible and engaging for modern audiences.
The success of this zero-budget initiative demonstrates the power of innovative approaches to traditional content when they align with contemporary audience preferences. By stepping outside conventional advertising methods and creating a genuinely useful tool that bridges the gap between gaming and literature, NLB has shown how public institutions can leverage cutting-edge technology to fulfill their missions in changing cultural landscapes.
The fact that users who engage with stories on Playbrary can immediately borrow the original books from NLB's collection creates a direct pathway to traditional reading materials, potentially renewing the habit of reading physical books among audiences who might otherwise remain exclusively in digital entertainment spaces.
