ABSTRACT
Contemporary game and play practices are increasingly used not only to entertain, but also to make a difference at an individual, community, and/or societal level. Ecological games are one kind of such ‘games for change’: they not only seek to contribute to ecological thought but also to turn players into ecological citizens. Increasingly, games encourage support, sympathy, and action for a variety of ecological issues. In this chapter, I examine how ecogames frame the cultural dimension of sustainability. My analysis aims to offer a conceptual clarification of the strategies these games use to raise awareness about the issue of climate change and to change or reinforce players’ world views, beliefs, and values. My investigation draws inspiration from the conceptual framework of the psychologist and economist Per Espen Stoknes. He theorizes one of the most pressing issues within the field of climate change communication, the ‘psychological climate paradox’: the fact that although climate science facts are becoming more solidly documented and disturbing every year, most people either do not believe in these facts or do not act upon them. I will discuss how ecogames might contribute to solving the paradox by making people reflect on the global, political, and cultural implications of climate change and act accordingly.
