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Nickelodeon Launches Green-Themed MPOG
Posted by Hsing Wei on 12-14-08
Will play online change actions offline? With “The Big Green Help Global Challenge” Nickelodeon wanted to a design a game that activated kids to address environmental change in their everyday lives. “With about three quarters of the U.S. kid population actively gaming online, we think our ‘Global Challenge’ game is a great way to connect them to the pro-social issues they care about, like the environment… we hope this game can be the beginning of a kid-led environmental movement."” said Marva Smalls, EVP of Public Affairs, Nickelodeon Kids and Family Group.
In the multi-player game, the mission is to "green" the planet's last three pollution-free cities. Kids take on the identity of a Nicktoon character (SpongeBob SquarePants, Back at the Barnyard's Otis, The Fairly OddParent's Timmy Turner, or Avatar's Aang) and partner with other players to battle CO2-spewing monsters (like the Carbon Creeper, Waste Whirlwind or Guzzlor). As players move through the nine game levels, they will get tips about how to lower their carbon footprint and will be asked to virtually pledge volunteer hours that they can translate into actionable steps in their homes, schools, and communities. At the end of the game, kids will be directed to an online meter showing their individual commitments and the impact of their collective pledges.
Leveraging partners to support the bridge into real world change, Nickelodeon has linked with organizations (such as the Boys & Girls Clubs, Girl Scouts, National Wildlife Federation, Natural Resources Defense Council) to provide kids with local resources and events to convert their virtually volunteered hours into analog action. Players can follow the fulfillment of pledges through a downloadable widget pledge tracker.
A preview of the visuals in the video below.
Warner Brothers Interactive Launching Free AIDS Prevention Game
Posted by Hsing Wei on 12-09-08
While not yet released, Pamoja Mtaani ("Together in the Hood") is already receiving a bit of buzz (perhaps reflecting the PR power when a major entertainment company backs a serious game). Being developed by Virtual Heroes Inc. (known for America’s Army), Pamoja Mtaani will be a free multiplayer PC game intended to change youth HIV risk attitudes and behaviors (the website outlines some specific behavior change objectives through immersive gameplay).
As part of the Partnership for an HIV-Free Generation‘s effort to help fight the spread of the disease, the game will debut in youth centers in Nairobi, Kenya. Players can take on the role of one of five characters brought together through unforseen catastrophe. As the players work their way through various neighborhoods seeking to recover what they have lost, they “uncover and experience barriers and facilitators to behavior change.”
Aside from engaging youth on the issue of HIV, the website notes another way the game may create positive impact. Many facets of the game have and will be supported within Kenya. The game features music from “iconic” Kenyan hip-hop artists and may have future IT support needs that will create jobs for local Kenyan people.
We will have to wait and see. For now, here is another pre-preview opinion.
Video Game Organization Lands on List of Top Social Enterprises of the Year
Posted by Hsing Wei on 12-02-08
Hopelab was named as one of Fast Company’s 2009 Social Enterprises of the Year. The list highlights “bold and timely ideas that wow us… the kind of innovative thinking that can transform lives and change our world.”
HopeLab is a nonprofit founded in 2000 by Pam Omidyar to create innovative methods to improve the health and quality of life for young people with chronic illnesses. Initial clinical evidence suggests that their game Re-mission (shooter game where players destroy cancer cells) has positive impacts—patients who played at least one hour per week were more likely to follow their drug regimen. It will be interesting to see the results of a second research study investigating the relative impact of game design attributes (narrative structure and quantity of information content) on impact outcomes. Their current focus with The Ruckus Nation (idea competition) is on developing technology to address the issue of childhood obesity.
Perhaps another game creator will be on next year’s list…
Continue reading the rest of this post.What Makes An Election Game Good?
Posted by Hsing Wei on 10-30-08
Obama ads are being embedding into major video game titles such as Electronic Art’s “Madden 09” and “Burnout: Paradise.” JohnMcCain.com has Pork Invaders, a custom made Space-Invaders style game. Are either campaigns really taking advantage of the medium?
Continue reading the rest of this post.ARGs Stimulating Change: Traces of Hope and Superstruct
Posted by Hsing Wei on 10-07-08
Two games recently launched Traces of Hope (British Red Cross) and Superstruct (Institute for the Future) where on-screen characters reach out into player’s real worlds. In moving people from thinking about change to doing something about change, what can Alternative Reality Games unlock?
Continue reading the rest of this post.Playing Obama or McCain’s Campaign
Posted by Hsing Wei on 09-30-08
Stardock has released a free download version of The Political Machine. Potential fun and informative therapy for those anxious about the race, in Political Machine Express players create a custom Obama, Biden, Palin or McCain bobble-head and try to get their favorite candidate into the White House.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Pew Study Released: Relationship between Teens, Games, and Civics
Posted by Hsing Wei on 09-17-08
A recent study by Pew adds positive evidence to the debate about the impact of video games on kids. It is the first nationally representative study of teen video game play and the relationship between video gaming and civic outcomes. The tag line reads, “Teens’ gaming experiences are diverse and include significant social interaction and civic engagement.”
The survey looked at which teens are playing games, the games and equipment they are using, the social context of their play, the role of parent monitoring, and teens’ civic activities and commitments. Key findings included:
- 97% of teens ages 12-17 play computer, web, portable, or console games
- Gender and age play a factor. Younger teen boys are the most likely to play games, followed by younger girls and older boys
- Gaming is often a social experience for teens.
- Most teens play many different types of games. 80% play five or more different game genres
- The two most widely played game genres were racing and puzzle games, played by nearly 3/4 of teens in the sample.
- The most popular genres include games with violent and games with nonviolent content.
- The quantity of game play is not strongly or consistently related to most civic outcomes, but some particular qualities of game play have a strong and consistent positive relationship to a range of civic outcomes.
- The characteristics of game play and the contexts in which teens play games are strongly related to teens’ interest and engagement in civic and political activities. Teens with the most (top 25%) civic gaming experiences were more likely to report interest and engagement in civic and political activities than teens with the fewest (bottom 25%).
- Civic gaming experiences are more equally distributed than many other civic learning opportunities. Teens in the Pew study were equally likely to report having civic gaming experiences regardless of race, age, or income; in contrast to previous research findings that suggest high school civic learning opportunities tend to be unequally distributed, with higher-income, higher-achieving, and white students.
The last few bullet points are likely encouraging to the growing number of games for change developers. The notion that context and quality of game play matters is not new to the games for change community. Curious if there had been an analysis of how many teens were playing games for change (like Tiltfactor’s new game about genetically modified crops Profit Seed), and whether any differences would have emerged beyond the broader definition of “civic gaming”.
More news coverage here
Scientific Clues to Better Game Design?
Posted by Hsing Wei on 08-04-08
Aside from play testing, how else can game developers identify areas and methods to improve their game’s design? One nonprofit, HopeLab, is going about it scientifically.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Against All Odds: UNHCR Game Simulates Refugee Experience
Posted by Hsing Wei on 07-13-08
The UK branch of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recently launched a graphically-rich online version of “Against All Odds” (originally created in 2005) with an associated factual website. The game asks, “Can you flee and survive? Test yourself.”
Continue reading the rest of this post.If Everyone Was a Gamer
Posted by Hsing Wei on 07-07-08
The Guardian references Asi Burak (creator of Peacemaker and Play the News) in a recent, thoughtful piece about the challenges of making games about intellectual issues mainstream.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Channel 4 Game for Disarming Britain
Posted by Hsing Wei on 07-02-08
As part of a special season of programs about the increasing use of violence and weapons by young people on UK streets, Dead Ends is a 3D game that aims to raise awareness by letting people play on both sides of the law.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Journalism Games: Playing with Government Budgets
Posted by Hsing Wei on 06-11-08
As the stock market dips and presidential campaigning comes full swing, folks may be interested in some recently released games that stimulate conversation and understanding around government budget issues.
Playing Journalist: A Game for Amnesty International
Posted by Hsing Wei on 06-11-08
Coinciding with the Beijing Olympic Games, a team of developers collaborated with Amnesty International Canada to create Pictures for Truth.
Continue reading the rest of this post.AMD Foundation Changing The Game
Posted by Hsing Wei on 06-04-08
There is reason to rethink the simple association of private sector interests and violent brain-drain games. This week, AMD Foundation announced the launch of AMD Changing The Game. The initiative is intended to improve critical technical and life skills by teaching kids to develop digital games with social content.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Spreading Peace Early in Schools
Posted by Hsing Wei on 05-27-08
In the past few years, a good amount of attention has focused on the potential of video games for education. Aside from reimagining how students and teachers engage with math, science, and other academic subjects, various organizations have also produced games to engage youth on social issues.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Pos or Not: mtvU puts Twist on Hot or Not
Posted by Hsing Wei on 05-08-08
Adding a social change dimension to judging people’s profiles, mtvU and the Kaiser Family Foundation have developed Pos or Not, a viral online game that confronts stereotypes surrounding HIV/AIDS while providing information about how to prevent the spread of the disease.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Dissected: Developing an Election Game
Posted by Hsing Wei on 04-21-08
Given the competitive Hillary/Obama primary battle, it’s timely to read lessons learned in developing The Howard Dean for Iowa Game. How can video games be designed to convey political messages? Crafted to be received by the public as consequential vs. trivial? Integrated with the rest of a campaign? An online article reviews the design and production process behind the game concieved with campaign strategists just before the important primary season.
Continue reading the rest of this post.UN Game Delivers Malaria Nets
Posted by Hsing Wei on 04-21-08
Throughout April, partners of the UN Foundation’s Nothing But Nets campaign will donate $10 for each person who signs up to play “Deliver the Net”
Continue reading the rest of this post.Contests Spur and Recognize Games like “Hush” and “Climate Change”
Posted by Hsing Wei on 04-08-08
“Hush” recently won the first Better Game Contest.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Tiltfactor Lab on Teasing Out the Connection Between Games and Change
Posted by Hsing Wei on 03-29-08
A YouTube video interview of Tiltfactor Lab’s Mary Flanagan with American Public Media discusses the energy around producing games that raise consciouness and real world change.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Debatable Review on ICED
Posted by Hsing Wei on 03-18-08
Over at Watercooler Games, Ian Bogost wrote a detailed review on I Can End Deportation (ICED) that raised some larger questions for debate about the stumbling blocks and potentials of games on social and political issues.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Deloitte Partnership Creates Virtual Cash for United Way
Posted by Hsing Wei on 03-07-08
Deloitte and Touche, a financial consulting firm, has asked BrandGames to develop “The Virtual Team Challenge for High Schools”, an online simulation in which student teams raise virtual cash for the United Way
Continue reading the rest of this post.How to/Not to Develop an Activist Game in 4 weeks
Posted by Hsing Wei on 03-05-08
Conor O’Kane wrote a thoughtful postmortem on developing Harpooned, an activist game raising awareness about whaling in Australia.
Borrowing From Shoot Em Up vs. Guitar Hero
Posted by Hsing Wei on 02-13-08
Over at Gamasutra, the design of a new game about the genocide during the Rwandan Civil War, Hush , is contrasted with the design of Darfur is Dying.
Political Games Losing Out to Social Networks?
Posted by Hsing Wei on 02-08-08
Are political games a fad that has passed? Over at Watercooler Games, Ian Bogost posted about his incorrect prediction of the rise of election games in 2008.
Why Charge for Games for Change?
Posted by Hsing Wei on 01-29-08
A few weeks ago, Eric Brown, from ImpactGames wrote a thoughtful post at Huffington about the perceptual challenges in marketing games with a social emphasis.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Video Game Industry to Establish a PAC
Posted by Hsing Wei on 01-21-08
A recent New York Times article discusses the Entertainment Software Association’s forays into political organizing.
ITVS and PBS Publish Game Exploring Obesity Crisis
Posted by Hsing Wei on 01-15-08
Is obesity an individual problem or a collective problem? ITVS and PBS’s Independent Lens hopes that their new online game Fatworld will help Americans understand that the answer to the obesity crisis is not as simple as telling someone to go on a diet.
Debating Games in Election Politics
Posted by Hsing Wei on 01-14-08
How are political games games for change? Is the games for change community an appropriate place to recruit collaborators for games about particular candidates or should games for change mean candidate neutral?
Customer Demand for “Do-Good” Games?
Posted by Hsing Wei on 11-28-07
A small protest against violent video games, outside a Portland Toy ‘R’ Us store, simultaneously rallied for alternative games.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Spreading Peace in the Middle East, Virtually
Posted by Hsing Wei on 11-28-07
The Peres Center for Peace is distributing 100,000 copies of PeaceMaker to Israelis and Palestinians.
Continue reading the rest of this post.UN Game Feeds the Hungry
Posted by Hsing Wei on 11-13-07
Since its launch on October 7, FreeRice has already raised over 1 billion grains of rice (enough to feed 50,000 people for one day).
Continue reading the rest of this post.Learning to Fix Real-Life Disasters in a Virtual World
Posted by Hsing Wei on 10-22-07
The I-95 Corridor Coalition (a multi-state, interagency alliance for cooperation and coordination by key policy makers on transportation issues) devoted $1.4 million for the development of a virtual incident management training game.
Continue reading the rest of this post.EA and BP Partner for a More Environmentally Conscious SimCity
Posted by Hsing Wei on 10-16-07
Electronic Arts and BP Alternative Energy will highlight the impact of electricity generation on carbon dioxide emissions and climate change within the interface of the next release of SimCity Societies.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Can Halo Be Used for Social Change?
Posted by Hsing Wei on 10-08-07
A recent NYT article discusses the phenomenon of churches using the popular video game, Halo, as a recruiting tool to connect to young people and the inherent contradictions that practice raises.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Design a Game and Raise a Ruckus
Posted by Hsing Wei on 09-24-07
Folks with a game idea that can increase physical activity among kids have a chance to win more than $75,000.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Examining Immigration Advocacy via Games
Posted by Hsing Wei on 07-10-07
Groups like Breakthrough, a New York-based human rights organization, are making games that promote their advocacy agenda.
Continue reading the rest of this post.World of Borecraft vs Changecraft
Posted by Hsing Wei on 07-03-07
Slate’s recent article, while focused on edutainment, echoes some of the conversation in the Games for Change community—where are all the good games for change?
Continue reading the rest of this post.Immigration Legislation: New York Times News Games
Posted by Hsing Wei on 07-03-07
Points of Entry, nytimes.com’s June news game, lets players dig a little deeper into the recent debate over immigration legislation.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Empowering Citizens To Play Politics
Posted by Hsing Wei on 06-19-07
USC’s Game Innovation Lab recently unveiled The Redistricting Game at the 2007 Games For Change Festival.
Continue reading the rest of this post.G4C Annual Festival Roundup
Posted by Hsing Wei on 06-13-07
Images, transcripts, and opinions of Games For Change’s 4th Annual Festival are on the web for those who missed the event (or who just want to re-live some of the interesting conversations and energy).
Continue reading the rest of this post.Gaming on The New York Times
Posted by Hsing Wei on 05-31-07
Imagine the possibilities if games for change begin complementing the nation’s paper of record.
Continue reading the rest of this post.PBS/ITVS Fund Game About Oil
Posted by Hsing Wei on 05-07-07
Branching out beyond broadcast, PBS funded the recently launched online game by pioneering game designer Jane McGonigal, World Without Oil
Continue reading the rest of this post.Game Lets Teens Try Their Hand at Running Nonprofits
Posted by Hsing Wei on 05-02-07
NY-based nonprofit DoSomething partnered with JP Morgan Chase Foundation to develop a game that helps teens think more about helping those in need - maximizing karma instead of profits.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Virtually Rehearsing The Future
Posted by Hsing Wei on 04-05-07
“Do-overs” in strategies for solving social change issues are a benefit of the virtual over the real world.
Continue reading the rest of this post.3rd World Farmer Game
Posted by Hsing Wei on 04-05-07
Can “experiencing” injustices via digital games, rather than reading about them, stimulate deeper reflection and action to alleviate poverty in third world countries?
Continue reading the rest of this post.Mobile Game Helping Refugees
Posted by Hsing Wei on 03-27-07
Ring tone downloads have become a lucrative business, can mobile social change games similarly raise funds for the subjects they highlight?
Continue reading the rest of this post.MITs Henry Jenkins on How Second Life Impacts Our First Life
Posted by Hsing Wei on 03-19-07
Do virtual worlds merely provide a fantasy of solutions without fertilizing politics in the world beyond the screen?
Continue reading the rest of this post.A Rise in Games for Social Change?
Posted by Hsing Wei on 03-15-07
Does a maturing game industry offer an opportunity for the development of more games on pressing issues?
Continue reading the rest of this post.Controversy Over Super Columbine Massacre Role Playing Game
Posted by Hsing Wei on 01-29-07
Are there limits to what social issues video games can/should explore?
Continue reading the rest of this post.Parsons Lab Develops Eco Game for EPA
Posted by Hsing Wei on 01-16-07
An eco-game highlighted during the GamesforChange, New School, and NYC Games Scholars’ salon last week sparked some conversation on how to engage players.
Continue reading the rest of this post.National Science Foundation Funds Game on Global Warming
Posted by Hsing Wei on 01-16-07
Among several projects highlighted during the GamesforChange, New School, and NYC Games Scholars’ salon last week was a game using a systems dynamics approach to engaging students about the issue of global warming.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Public Utility Game about Water Conservation
Posted by Hsing Wei on 01-08-07
Complementing text FAQs on its website, Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) has a game letting citizens navigate through a leaky house to learn about how to save water, money, and the environment.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Better understanding Waco, 9-11, and other political events through games?
Posted by Hsing Wei on 12-19-06
Using examples ranging from The Howard Dean for Iowa game to Balance the Planet and JFK Reloaded , Dr. Ian Bogost, an academic / game creator, digs into why video games are especially suited to engage citizens in politics, activism, and advocacy.
Continue reading the rest of this post.X|Media|Lab’s “Learning from Games” Attracts International Roster
Posted by Hsing Wei on 12-14-06
Leaders from EA’s Innovation Lab, Singapore’s National Institute of Education, Australian Centre for Interaction Design, Parsons, and Futurelab, among others, shared their knowledge during a three day conference on “Learning from Games”.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Billboards about Poverty on Second Life
Posted by Hsing Wei on 12-10-06
The World Development Movement (WDM) has put a large death counter in a prominent place on Second Life.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Fundraising with Second Life
Posted by Hsing Wei on 12-09-06
How much money can be raised for social change in a virtual world? Save the Children will soon find out.
Continue reading the rest of this post.A Strategy Game about Big Oil
Posted by Hsing Wei on 12-02-06
Can a game affect perceptions about oil consumption?
Continue reading the rest of this post.Blogging about a video game to galvanize voting?
Posted by Hsing Wei on 12-02-06
Rather than a normal review, this blogger uses the opportunity to highlight why a game shows that voting is relevant and necessary.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Creating Games About Poverty in Haiti
Posted by Hsing Wei on 12-02-06
Can video games designed by kids create the next generation of activists against poverty?
Continue reading the rest of this post.G4C Second Life Ambassador on NPR
Posted by Hsing Wei on 11-29-06
Hear David Weinberger (Berkman Center at Harvard Law), Gary Goldberger (Ambassador for G4C in Second Life), and John Lester (Linden Lab employee) address the concerns of skeptics.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Summary of Serious Games Summit 2006
Posted by Hsing Wei on 11-29-06
Government officials, educators, game developers, and various cross sector professionals gathered this past October to exchange ideas on serious games for first responders, government, education, health, military, science, and social change.
Continue reading the rest of this post.Games about Conflict: Palestine
Posted by Hsing Wei on 11-19-06
Can games make people experience, care about, and better understand complex conflicts in Palestine and Darfur?
Continue reading the rest of this post.Game Mission: Eliminate Corruption on Capital Hill
Posted by Hsing Wei on 11-17-06
Instead of slinging bullets, players sling subpoenas in a video game about corruption on Capital Hill.
Continue reading the rest of this post.
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