Ongoing discussions regarding long overdue educational reforms often underscore a need for alignment between the current educational system and the rapidly evolving economic and technological demands of the industry. Disruptive technologies are increasingly outpacing workforce skills and changing corporate structures necessitate more adaptable workers. Self-Directed Learning (SDL), where learners proactively manage their learning process, could address this issue. Yet despite decades of SDL research, respective implementations remain challenging. Technology may offer the necessary tools, and so this study investigates how video games may facilitate SDL. Employing a qualitative research approach utilizing the think-aloud method and interviews, we analyzed n=8 student gameplay sessions of Frostpunk. Findings provide reflective insights into learning processes. That is, the survival game Frostpunk effectively triggered various SDL strategies, including trial and error, reinforcement learning, reflection, and logical reasoning. Game mechanics like resource scarcity, moral dilemmas, and performance indicators stimulated experimentation, analysis, and problem-solving. These findings suggest that thoughtfully designed video games can potentially foster crucial SDL skills, and thus may be considered an element in revolutionizing educational approaches to meet the skill demands of the 21st-century workplace.