In Phoenicia, learning to read, write and do basic math is a consequence of playing the game, rather than the goal of it. For the player, the fun is in building up their virtual world, creating things in it, and selling those items for other items. Children learn and retain information better when it is necessary part of the goal they are trying to reach. By making the learning aspect a requirement, and slowly adjusting the difficulty of that as the player progresses, the game remains entertaining and motivating while reinforcing the knowledge that the player gains along the way.