Climate Survivors: Pioneering Climate Engagement through Gaming at IEEE GEM 2024
The annual IEEE GEM (Games, Entertainment, and Media) conference is a crucible of innovation, bringing together key experts from academia, industry, and research, serving as a vibrant platform for exploring the intersection of technology, games, entertainment, media, and the arts. This year’s event was no exception, with a plethora of groundbreaking ideas and projects on display, each pushing the boundaries of their respective fields.
Climate Survivors: A Bullet Heaven for Enhanced Climate Engagement
“Climate Survivors” game is designed by IIASA for the CHOICE project to break barriers in climate communication. It is a bullet heaven game, a subgenre of shoot ’em up games, known for their intense and engaging gameplay. By embedding climate crisis narratives and challenges within this popular format, we aim to attract a diverse audience and deliver impactful messages that encourage players to take tangible actions in their daily lives.
The “Climate Survivors” game development follows a framework for effective climate communication through games, emphasizing the importance of:
- Interactivity: Engaging players actively rather than passively receiving information.
- Narrative Integration: Embedding educational content within compelling stories and gameplay.
- Accessibility: Ensuring the game is accessible to a wide audience, including those who may not typically engage with climate issues.
- Actionability: Providing clear, practical actions that players can take, both within the game and in real life.
Engaging with Innovators at IEEE GEM 2024
The poster presentation at IEEE GEM 2024 was an incredible opportunity to showcase our vision for “Climate Survivors” and to engage with other innovators dedicated to harnessing the power of games for positive change. The event provided a unique platform to discuss our approach and gather valuable feedback from industry leaders, researchers, and fellow game developers. The interactive poster presentation allowed us to demonstrate the game’s features and objectives, highlighting how “Climate Survivors” can serve as an effective tool for climate education and action and collect valuable feedback.
As the climate crisis continues to escalate, it is more important than ever to explore new and effective ways of communication and engagement.
CHOICE is aiming to use the “Climate Survivors” game to inspire the large gaming community to tackle one of the greatest challenges of our time by adopting a more sustainable food-related consumption behavior and lifestyle.
Find the “Climate Survivors” 2024 IEEE GEM poster here for more information. Explore the CHOICE gamification method at: Gamification – Choice (climatechoice.eu)
