Game Over for Climate Change? Communicating and Visualising Global Warming in Digital Games

Abstract

Digital games are increasingly used as innovative tools for climate change communication. Our study uses the example of Eco to analyse, with the help of a validated set of criteria, how commercial games communicate climate change and the science behind it, which options for action are suggested to the player and how the interplay of the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic) is presented in the game. The paper’s conclusions underline the potential for commercial, multiplayer survival games like Eco to act as educational tools for communicating complex environmental issues, bridging diverse player demographics, and fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges and solutions in addressing climate change and ecological sustainability. Our findings help test and advance existing concepts in environmental communication studies and sustainability studies.