Notes

Save the Planet Play the Game Conservationists Take On Video Gamers

By Hereward Holland



NAIROBI 5 June (Reuters) 5 June (Reuters) Chilli, gibbon that is native to Borneo, will soon be jumping from tree to tree in parks from New York to Nairobi as a character in a new virtual reality video game that aims to promote conservation of endangered species.



Internet of Elephants, a Kenya-based software firm has created a computer-generated representation of Chilli which is a real primate, as well as three other animals from the jungles of Asia and Africa.



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.



Gameplay that is similar to the popular mobile phone game Pokemon Go, Wildeverse users play junior scientists studying the habits of animals living 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 increasing ubiquity of smart handsets mean the gaming industry reaches one in three people around the globe and has the potential to be a potent tool for behaviour change, like a public service broadcaster for the digital age, said Sam Barratt from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).



Barratt said to Reuters that the industry's reach was "incredible." "We would like to help the industry encourage people to reconsider their relationship with nature and how they can live an (environmentally) less sedentary lifestyle."



Gaming is the most viewed form of entertainment in the world. According to UNEP's report of 2019 titled "Playing for the Planet", the industry generates more revenue per habitant than Hollywood, Bollywood, and music sales worldwide.



Mobile phone gaming revenues have surpassed console gaming in 2015, and are expected to rise as speeds for data speed improve according to Newzoo, a gaming consulting firm.



Internet of Elephants plans to launch Wildeverse as a free app for Android and Apple smartphones in the third quarter of the year. There are also options for in-app purchases to unlock bonus features.



The game has been developed specifically to not be preachy which could hinder behavior change, said Jake Manion, head of production at the company.



"It's easy to fall into the trap of tropes about burning forests and animals that are stranded and such like that," he said.



Not just for kids!



The video game user-base is growing, and the demographics are expanding beyond age, gender, and geography.



The UNEP report found that only 22% of gamers in the world are younger than 21 and 46% are women. Five of the 15 countries that have most gamers per capita live in low-income countries such as Nigeria and Indonesia.
minecraft server list


"When we talk about games, people automatically think that they're made for kids," said Gautam Shah the founder of Internet of Elephants.



He added that the conservation industry is slowly beginning to recognize the potential of gaming to mobilize people in the same way that it took them a while to see the potential and power of social media.



Some of the larger gaming studios are pushing green messaging, just as Shah and other environmentalists hope to profit from the opportunities offered by the industry.



Minecraft The blockbuster game of building, has introduced versions that enable users to design national parks and sustainable cities.



In 2016, then UN Secretary-General Ban ki-moon was appointed an Rovio character from the wildly popular Angry Birds franchise an honorary ambassador to inspire young people to go "green" and take on climate change.



Rovio also partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature to help promote International Tiger Day.



Minna Eloranta is Rovio's senior communications manager. She said that Rovio has partnered with businesses to combat climate change in the past and advised players to consider the issue through campaigns in their games.



Niantic, which developed Pokemon Go with Nintendo Co Ltd organizes clean-up events everywhere from South Africa to Singapore on Earth Day every year.



"Games that connect sustainability efforts to their core gameplay mechanics offer the chance to not only increase the success of their playerbase 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)


My Website: https://mpservers.net/minecraft-servers/