February, 2012

This has been translated from the original Portuguese. To read the original article please click here. 

Combining gaming and social causes has turned out to be a very effective way to engage players on Facebook and a great way to raise funds for philanthropic causes. Last year, Zynga raised money through some of their games to benefit victims of the earthquakes in Japan and Haiti. Today, we are seeing increasing use of social games for philanthropic initiatives. 

The startup Good World Games is developing games for Facebook whose sole objective it is to combine the power of humanitarian causes with the virality of social gaming. Their first game is called MyConservationPark and it aims to have players protect animals from human and environmental threats while creating a sustainable habitat with diverse fauna and flora. 

There are two game modes for players to choose from. In Play mode, new challenges appear continuously and players must overcome them to save and protect their endangered species. In this mode, ecosystem and hero health directly affect the players’ performance and ability to deal with these challenges. 

In Decorate mode players can create a biodiverse environment for their species by adding animals, trees, water, food, sheds and other elements. In this mode players can purchase rangers, native species, watchtowers and even insects. 

All in-game purchases of virtual items in MyConservationPark directly benefit Good World Games’ charity partners with 15% of revenue donated to selected causes. Each park benefits a different non-profit partner. Some project partners are: the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Sea Shepherd, WildAid and Orangutan Outreach. Players are able to see what percentage of revenue has been donated to each non-profit. 

Good World Games Aims to Make a Difference Giving Through Fun

Many students spend vast amounts of time on social media and gaming, often raising the ire of parents and educators. For those tied to Facebook, Good World Games offers a welcome alternative to the ‘mindless’ games children often play on the site. The My Conservation Park Facebook game (better suited for students’ spare time than in class, of course) allows players to learn about ecological interdependence and biodiversity, while supporting conservation efforts. Players manage a wildlife conservation park for endangered animals––they must create and maintain suitable habitat by introducing plants and animals, eliminating threats such as poachers, hiring park rangers and even tranquilizing animals for tagging.  each plant or animal has a life cycle and needs to be tended to daily Players use “conservation cash” to buy the things they need to sustain their parks. This virtual currency is either purchased with real money (adults will need to assist here) or earned through interaction with advertisers. 15% of what players spend in the game goes to partnering wildlife conservation organizations. -– (JHayes)

Games in and of themselves are great; but games that also do good are awesome. Good World Games had the crazy idea that maybe games are more than about having fun and entertaining your brain for a few minutes here a few hours there, although that is important stuff. What if games can change the way people behave in their real world lives? What if games can get people reflexively helping out noble causes as naturally as they do laundry, brush their teeth, or drive to work? What if giving just became apart of what we do everyday?

The game is also educational, teaching children the importance of environmental and animal conservation and their own responsibility in caring for the Earth.

This philosophy of “gaming for social good” has taken off in recent years, with games popping up seeking to tackle issues of hunger, poverty, community cohesion, environmental sustainability and education. Toronto-based Good World Games recently released My Conservation Park, a socially conscious game that sees players build and manage a wildlife reserve.

Mark Evans profiles us in The Globe & Mail!

Serial entrepreneur Greg Sukornyk looked at the activities of charities online and the growing popularity of online gaming, and figured there was an opportunity to marry them in a way that could benefit charities while still entertaining game players. Since the first game was launched a couple of months ago…more than 10,000 people have played, while the non-profits involved have been enthusiastic about the concept and business model. 

Captain Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and the TLC show Whale Wars officially endorsed the social game, MyConservationPark. Through a partnership with Sea Shepherd, developer Good World Games will donate 15% of earnings to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.