What is the best way to arouse interest in the problem of climate change? Pixelcloud takes a playful approach with the E.V.I.L Climate Change VR Game.
Virtual reality combines games and culture with a local connection
The company Pixelcloud wants to bring games and culture together. The goal is reflected in the company’s name, because like pixels, everyone works together to put a picture together.
The content creation partner has already developed games with a local connection to Baden-Würrtemberg. For example, in Blautopf VR, in cooperation with SWR, one rushes to the aid of a research partner in Blautopf, or in Residenzschloss Ludwigsburg VR, one sets up an opera together with ghosts.
E.V.I.L Climate Change VR paints dark climate change dystopia
In their latest project, the mission becomes more global. In E.V.I.L Climate Change VR, an episodic multi-player action game, players travel to the year 2123 to take on a global anti-climate corporate cartel. This cartel has caused a lot of damage to the world – based on actual climate destroyers.
Together with the rebels, you solve puzzles, collect renewable energy packs and try to save the world in the course of the game.
The game is supported by Games BW and was, among other projects, at the MfG stand at Gamescon in Cologne.
Villain of E.V.I.L Climate Change VR are consequences of climate change
Originally was the story developed from two concepts that were tested on the target group, which Christoph Rasulis from Pixelcloud calls “Generation Fortnite”.
The first idea was a stealth game in the 70s, where you sneaked into the very first climate conference. The second concept, on the other hand, confronted the players with giants. Since both concepts had their advantages and disadvantages, the team developed the new story based on the two ideas.
Corporate cartel represents the dangers to our environment in the current version.
“E.V.I.L. is the name of the company, this one is called Environment Income Leak. Means it tries to squeeze everything out,” Rasulis explained.
Fun game, serious message
Rasulis sees the greatest opportunity of such games as creating awareness for the topic of the environment.
“Sometimes it’s not important to put a lot of information into it, but to arouse interest in the topic. For us, the hope is that games will get the ball rolling on thinking about it.”
Why games are well-suited for this, he says, is because of their playful approach, which makes the gravity of the issues easier to grasp.
“It’s a fun game, but there’s a serious message behind it. In the beginning we had a more realistic style, now we’re more comic-book-like, because you might prefer to take the bitter medicine with a spoonful of sugar.”
Pixelcloud sees potential for larger VR concept around climate protection
The project is currently in graphic development. Rasulis sees potential to take the whole thing further: “The concept of solving puzzles with renewable energy can be expanded at will. So of course it would be a pleasure to do another bigger concept with it.”
This prototype is currently running as a standalone on Meta Quest.
