Researchers of serious games frequently investigate outcomes of play but overlook the underlying game-design components that drive those outcomes. In this paper, I aim to show how game design and context of play influence progression through GraphoGame, an early-literacy game. This is done by means of two intersecting studies. The first study shows how the game can be represented by a model that explicitly hypothesizes how the interaction between the player and the game drives progression. The

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... econd study explores user data generated by first graders (N = 137) who played the game over a period of 25 weeks as part of early literacy instruction. The juxtaposition of these two studies reveals factors that influence progression. I also highlight an underdeveloped area within the research field and point to the benefits that bridging game design and outcomes of play may hold for researchers, game developers, and educators.