Mainstream video games increasingly address ecological topics. To what extent do they engage players with nature and its protection?
Despite a growing interest in the use of video games for conservation outreach, their potential is understudied and poorly understood. WildCRU PhD student Katie Blake is researching how video games could connect players to nature, and is creating an interactive database of resources on this topic. She will soon interview developers to explore the motivations, choices, and goals behind conservation-focused games. She will also test how games influence players’ emotions, knowledge, concern, self-efficacy, and donation behaviours related to species and conservation efforts.
This work will have informative and practical value for conservationists, educators and game developers interested in conservation outreach.