Game studio Talkie has teamed up with Harrison Ford and Conservation International to make a new green game. Titled, Ecotopia it will launch on Facebook this spring and will reward players who perform real-world green initiatives.
“I’m excited to be involved with Ecotopia because I see it as a great way to engage millions of people in our fight to protect our planet by taking action online and in our daily lives,” said Ford, vice chairman of Conservation International. “As we work to address the most fundamental issues facing humanity, I think Ecotopia will help get people involved in a way that is fun, educational, and meaningful.”
“As a passionate supporter of Conservation International’s work, this game represents a refreshing new way to engage millions of people in addressing critical environmental issues and finding solutions that work for the wellbeing of humanity,” said Ford.
Ford was apparently a huge motivator in trying to get environmental issues in a gaming experience. “The idea was a byproduct of the passion that both Chris (Swain) and I share for the environment along with a conversation that I had with Harrison shortly after he returned from a U.N. meeting on climate change in Nagoya, Japan last fall,” said Larry Bond, chairman of Talkie. “Harrison explained the crisis that our planet was facing on the loss of biodiversity. That was the catalyst to create a game that was not only really entertaining, but also have a profound impact on our world.”
“We allow players to enter their real world green acts — such as composting — and get in-game credit,” said Swain, CEO and founder of Talkie. “That means if you car pool you get Sustainability Points, Money Savings, and Power Savings that you can spend to get further in the game world. You get a low number of points for doing a real world act, but we give you a big bonus if you also upload a picture of yourself doing it. Then you get the real points if your friends verify that you did it. This is a system we call ‘social proofing.'”
The game’s messaging aligns with Conservation International’s initiatives, designed to support initiatives in climate, food, fresh water, health and cultural security. “Ecotopia makes being green fun and adds a dash of social status,” said Swain. “We track the real carbon savings created by each act and can tally the total environmental impact made by our players.”
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
