The Ecological Knowledge Games (EcoKnowGames) project is an inter-disciplinary research programme leveraging the technology of video games to evaluate sustainable development solutions and share diverse views on human development.

How humans collectively respond to environmental change will ultimately determine the degree to which many global challenges of the 21st century are successfully met. Global challenges are reflected across multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including conserving biodiversity, ensuring food and water security, and responding to climate change. Finding effective SDG solutions is critical but often hindered by the undesirable risk, high cost, and long timescale of their implementation. The EcoKnowGames project develops virtual game worlds to address challenges for sustainable development.

EcoKnowGames is funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) cross research council responsive mode pilot scheme (MR/Z505833/1). The core team includes people from the University of Stirling, the James Hutton Institute, and King’s College London, with the project partner Marist College. Game development is in collaboration with the award-winning games studio Glitchers.