Jane McGonigal is one cool chick. Game designer and author McGonigal is the Director of Game Research and Development for Institute for the Future, and collaborated with the World Bank Institute on her most recent venture. Encouraged by scientific stats proving gaming's real-world benefits such as players' improved teamwork skills, confidence, and social consciousness, McGonigal transformed the potential of millions of gamers into a method for problem solving very real and pressing threats. Defying the common assumption that video games are only for entertainment and escapism, she designed and created Urgent Evoke, a game that challenges players to generate solutions to disparate problems ranging from poverty to sustainable economic policy. This game is geared towards youth in Africa, and teaches players how to create business ventures that will help eradicate hunger, disease, and poverty at a local level. As the game is played through the collaboration of several participants, these people create real- life connections that can translate into the working world. The game begins March 3rd, and should yield some very interesting results, both individually and community wide.
This is McGonigal's second gaming project aimed at inciting positive change. Her first game, World Without Oil, brought 1,900 players from 12 nations together to redesign their lifestyle to accommodate this new problem. This simulation resulted in blogs, videos, images, voicemails, and participants' greater understanding of oil pricing and its effect on lives around the globe. As stated on the WWO website: More than immersive, it was meaningful and satisfying: “Usually games take away from real life,” player Ironmonkey wrote, “but WWO taught me a lot, lowered my electric bill, and focused me on doing things that matter to me.” WWO’s success on a small budget has opened the door for similar games that can engage mainstream Internet users with climate change, education reform, governmental policy and other timely, vital issues.
So go ahead, indulge in this new gaming paradigm. The next time you're craving some game time, solve water shortages, create solutions to food security dilemmas, and empower women- all while you're having a blast.
If you like what you're hearing, check out the Urgent Evoke trailer:
This is McGonigal's second gaming project aimed at inciting positive change. Her first game, World Without Oil, brought 1,900 players from 12 nations together to redesign their lifestyle to accommodate this new problem. This simulation resulted in blogs, videos, images, voicemails, and participants' greater understanding of oil pricing and its effect on lives around the globe. As stated on the WWO website: More than immersive, it was meaningful and satisfying: “Usually games take away from real life,” player Ironmonkey wrote, “but WWO taught me a lot, lowered my electric bill, and focused me on doing things that matter to me.” WWO’s success on a small budget has opened the door for similar games that can engage mainstream Internet users with climate change, education reform, governmental policy and other timely, vital issues.
So go ahead, indulge in this new gaming paradigm. The next time you're craving some game time, solve water shortages, create solutions to food security dilemmas, and empower women- all while you're having a blast.
If you like what you're hearing, check out the Urgent Evoke trailer:
EVOKE trailer (a new online game) from Alchemy on Vimeo.
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