Play the Game Save the Planet Conservationists Vying for Video Gamers
By Hereward Holland
NAIROBI (Reuters, June 5, 2015) - Chilli Chilli, a Borneo gibbon, will soon be leaping from tree to tree in parks in New York and Nairobi as a character for a new augmented reality game which aims to protect endangered species.
Internet of Elephants, a Kenyan software company, has created a computer-generated model of Chilli (a real primate) and three other animals from Africa and Asia.
Their game, Wildeverse, is one of a number of games developed by companies around the world who are seeking to harness the increasing popularity of video games on mobile phones to encourage people to lead more environmentally-conscious lifestyles. Bagauc
Gameplay that is similar to the smash-hit mobile phone game Pokemon Go, Wildeverse users play as junior scientists studying the habits of animals in the rain forests of Borneo and Congo Republic, using their smartphone camera to see life-sized virtual trees and primates like Chilli, superimposed on their surroundings.
The growing popularity of smart phones means that gaming is accessible to one in three people around the world. It is able to be a powerful tool to changing behavior, much like an open broadcaster for the digital age. Sam Barratt, from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) said that the game industry is an effective tool to change behaviours.
"Its reach is unbelievable," Barratt told Reuters. "We would like to assist people to think differently about the natural world and how they can live a in a (environmentally) more peacefully."
Gaming is the most popular form of entertainment in the world. According to UNEP's report of 2019 titled "Playing for the Planet" it is the leading industry in the world, generating more income per person than Hollywood, Bollywood, and music sales worldwide.
In addition, mobile phone games surpassed consoles in 2015 and, as data speeds improve, are expected to be $91.2 billion in 2021, the gaming consultancy Newzoo estimates.
Internet of Elephants plans to release Wildeverse as a free app for Android and Apple smartphones in the third quarter of 2011. There are also options for in-app purchases to unlock bonus features.
The game has been designed specifically to avoid being preachy which could hinder behavior change, said Jake Manion, head of production at the company.
"It's very easy to fall into the trap of myths about burning forests and animals that have been stranded and all of that," he said.
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The video game user-base is growing and the demographics are expanding beyond age, gender, and geographical location.
Globally, only 22 percent of gamers are less than 21 years old, 46 percent are females, and five of the 15 countries with the most gamers per capita reside in countries with lower middle incomes like Nigeria and Indonesia as the UNEP report showed.
Gautam Shah, the founder of Internet of Elephants, stated that people automatically assume games are made for children when they talk about them.
He said that the conservation sector is slowly beginning to recognize the potential of gaming to mobilize people in the same way it took them time to realize the potential and power of social media.
Some of the biggest gaming studios are pushing green marketing, and Shah and other conservationists are hoping to make money from the industry's opportunities.
Minecraft, the blockbuster game of building has released new versions that enable users to create national parks and sustainable cities.
In 2016, then UN Secretary-General Ban ki-moon was appointed a character from Rovio's wildly loved Angry Birds franchise an honorary ambassador to encourage youngsters to be "green" and take on climate change.
Rovio also joined forces with the World Wide Fund for Nature to promote International Tiger Day.
"In the past few years, we have worked with companies on climate change and have urged our players to think about it too through climate change-related campaigns in our games," said Minna Eloranta Rovio's senior communication manager.
Niantic which created Pokemon Go with Nintendo Co Ltd organizes clean-up activities all over the world from South Africa to Singapore on Earth Day every year.
"Games that connect sustainability efforts to their core gameplay mechanics have an opportunity to not only improve the number of players they have but also make an important impact on climate change." Yennie Solheim Fuller is the senior manager of social impact at Niantic. (Reporting by Hereward Holland Editing by Maggie Fick and Toby Chopra)
