This article is part of our Games Industry Goes Green series, in partnership with Playing for the Planet
When the Riders Republic team attended the Green Game Jam in 2021, we had no idea it would lead to the creation of Riders Republic Rebirth, an in-game event featuring a reforestation activity and a virtual climate march – the first ever to take place in a video game.
The Jam, hosted by the UN Environmental Programme’s Playing for the Planet Alliance, is an annual event aiming to bring together video game creatives to brainstorm new ways to inspire players to take action for the planet. Each year’s Green Game Jam has a theme, and 2021’s event was centered around conserving and restoring forests and oceans. As the Riders Republic gameplay director, I instantly knew we had a unique opportunity to bring the topic of reforestation to life for our players in a fun, yet meaningful way.