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greatproject.gg The Reach of Digital Games and their potential as global communication tools Jane Yau, Rebecca Harris, Paul Hollins, Anchal Garg, Pradeep Hewage, Jude Ower Joost Schuur, David Griffiths, Paul Watson, Celestine Iwendi, Hendrik Drachsler DIPF Institute of Research and Information in Education, Germany University of Bolton, PlanetPlay, England, UNIR International University of La Rioja, Spain 1
Vision: Using games to create a new form of dialogue and engagement between citizens and policy makers •Previous work in 2021: ○Playmob conducted the largest survey on public opinion relating to Climate Change ○Via quiz games / surveys (1 min), focus is on obtaining large amounts of (primarily) quantitative data at global, national or district level, 50 countries and covering 56% of the global population •Result: ○World’s Largest Climate Change Survey “People’s Climate Vote” (2021), obtained unique sample including high number of under 18s (1.2million) ○64% of world’s population believed that climate change is a global emergency. Presenting a convincing call for decision- & policy-makers to step up on ambition. ○“Games give us a global platform to engage, drive action and evidence progress, all supported by hard data” (Jude Ower) 2
PlanetPlay Survey: UNDP Exploratory & Play2Act Page Subtitle Text Exploratory UNDP study: ~400,000 reached ~2060 completed ~1 week Investigates global citizens’ views on climate change priorities with participants from key regions including Global South 3 Play2Act: -900,000 reached -ca. 180,000 completed - 180 countries - 50% male, 40% female
Research Question & Contributions “Can digital games function as effective communication channels between citizens and policymakers?” -Knowledge on democratic innovation and inclusive governance (many people don’t or cannot vote) -Reduce barriers to participation -Amplify the voices of underrepresented populations Position digital games as emerging tools to strenghen democrative processes, improve policy responsiveness and promote more equitable forms of engagement in the face of complex global challenges. 4
Play2Act Survey (>900,000 players, 188 countries) 5
Engagement & Reach ●High engagement: Play2Act had 77% completion rate among users who started the survey. ●Geographic differences: Europeans were more likely to complete the survey than participants from Africa or Asia. ●Gender balance: 52% male, 36% female, 3% non-binary, 10% undisclosed. Gender affected engagement and climate awareness responses. ●Age effects: Younger participants completed surveys faster; older participants engaged more slowly. ●Education impact: Participants with more schooling took longer per question, suggesting deeper engagement. ●Limitations: No data on income or occupation. Likely reached those already interested in climate issues rather than a fully representative audience. ●Key takeaway: Digital games can expand reach and reduce barriers, but risk reinforcing existing biases in participation. 6
Measuring depth of engagement ●Engagement levels: Most participants (98.6%) spent 10 sec–10 min per session; average ~1 min 43 sec per question. ●Education matters: Higher-educated participants took longer per question → more deliberate engagement. ●Gender differences: Males & non-binary: see games as tools for climate action. Females: focus on education and awareness. (questions captured perceptions) ●Key concerns: Need to distinguish genuine engagement vs. passive responses (attention checks, consistency measures). Trade-off between reaching many participants and ensuring deep engagement. ●Takeaway: Games can reach large audiences, but careful metrics are needed to ensure meaningful data. 7
Gender-based variations in climate change emotions ●Males: Felt more informed but showed higher scepticism. ●Females: Higher hope and motivation; more responsive to game-based environmental narratives. ●Non-binary / undisclosed: More feelings of powerlessness and uncertainty. ●Undisclosed gender: Most likely to think games have no impact on climate action. ●Takeaway: Climate games affect emotions differently by gender → highlights need for tailored engagement strategies. 8
Regional disparities in climate policy awareness ●Global differences: Europe: >50% recognized The Paris Agreement Asia: 41% recognition; Africa: 37% Oceania: highest unawareness (40%) and least biodiversity framework recognition (7%) ●Policy knowledge gaps: Awareness of NDCs, Kunming-Montreal Framework, NBSAPs (National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans) low across all regions (>80% unfamiliar). ●Education & income effects: Higher education → greater policy familiarity. Lower-middle-income respondents slightly higher awareness of NDCs (14–15%). High- & low-income groups had highest unawareness (34–36%). ●Insight: Digital game research may primarily engage those already familiar with climate policies; gaps remain in reaching broader, underrepresented audiences. 9
