Play2Act: Uniting Gamers for Climate Action

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has teamed up with PlanetPlay, a not-for-profit organisation that uses games to promote environmental change, to launch Play2Act. The initiative leverages the gaming community to address the climate crisis and ecosystem degradation. With over 3.3 billion gamers expected by the end of 2024, the potential for video games to drive positive environmental action is enormous.

What is Play2Act?

Play2Act gathers player feedback on how video games can help combat climate change and protect nature. Players can share their views through in-game polls while remaining immersed in their favourite games.

This initiative is part of the Games Realising Effective and Affective Transformation (GREAT) project, funded by the European Union Horizon and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Running from 2023 to 2026, GREAT explores how video games can engage citizens in critical policy discussions, including climate action. The data collected will help shape an understanding of how games can inspire collective action on environmental issues.

A Global Survey

Launched in late 2024, Play2Act offers polls in 10 languages, including Arabic, English, French, and Mandarin, ensuring global accessibility. By mid-October, over 500,000 people in more than 200 countries and territories from Aruba to Zambia had already engaged with the survey. Initial findings indicate enormous potential for games to help educate consumers about climate challenge programmes and strategies.

The results are being analyzed by leading academics from participating institutions, including Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education (DIPF), Zentrum für Soziale Innovation (ZSI), Bolton University, Oxford University, and?Universidad Internacional de La Rioja?(UNIR), providing expertise in research, social science, and data science. The research undertaken aims to provide a robust methodology and scientific foundation for games to act as a vehicle for influencing global policy. ?

The Role of Game Studios

Major gaming companies like Microsoft Xbox, Rovio, Niantic, Bandai Namco, Creative Mobile, Eline Media, FunPlus, Lockwood Publishing, SYBO, Ten Square Games and many more are among the initiative’s founding partners. They have been helping promote Play2Act within their games or on social media. These studios are leading efforts to raise environmental awareness by integrating sustainability themes into their games. PlanetPlay and UNDP invite more game producers and studios, regardless of their size, to get involved!

A Vision for the Future

At the initiative’s launch, Rhea Loucas, CEO of PlanetPlay, underscored the opportunity: “Video games are one of the most influential cultural forces of our time. This initiative aims to engage the gaming community, leveraging its reach to drive positive change.”

Jennifer Baumwoll, UNDP Climate Hub Director, added: “Play2Act will enable players to voice their ideas on how gaming can contribute to global climate action. We aim to use this platform to foster groundbreaking solutions.”

United Nations and Video Games

Play2Act is part of a broader UN effort to collaborate with the gaming industry to address environmental challenges. This initiative complements other efforts, such as UNEP’s Playing for the Planet Alliance, launched in 2019, which brings together major gaming companies to reduce carbon footprints, integrate green themes into games, and mobilize players for environmental action. Together, these programs exemplify how the gaming industry can be a powerful ally in advancing global sustainability goals, reaching billions of players with impactful messages and opportunities for action.

Play2Act and similar initiatives underscore the positive outcomes of UN partnerships with the video game industry by engaging developers, publishers, and players. These collaborations demonstrate how innovative approaches can turn entertainment platforms into catalysts for meaningful change. Through these efforts, the gaming community is raising awareness and inspiring tangible actions to tackle climate change and environmental degradation, offering a hopeful vision for a more sustainable world.

Additional links:

• Play2Act, take the survey!
• Video Games and Mental Health: A Surprising Ally
• Gaming industry spotlights threats to the planet (via UNEP)
• More from the United Nations and Video Games