Environmentalism
Ongoing coverage on Environmentalism.
Latest coverage
Civilization 7 announces “Arc of Tomorrow” update, first expansion titled “Earthrise”
Firaxis Games announced the "Arc of Tomorrow" update and the "Earthrise" expansion for Sid Meier's Civilization VII, both slated for release in 2027. The "Arc of Tomorrow" update will introduce the Atomic Age, while the "Earthrise" expansion will focus on space exploration and environmental themes. A separate update, 1.5.0, is also coming later this month, featuring quality-of-life improvements and a True Start Location: Earth map.
Hay Day Green Game Jam 2026: Leave it Better Is Helping Restore Harmony Between Humans and Nature
Hay Day is participating in the Green Game Jam 2026 with its 'Leave It Better' event, a collaboration with the Rainforest Alliance focused on environmental conservation and sustainable farming practices. Players can engage in farm decoration challenges and community goals that contribute to real-world tree planting initiatives, aiming to restore harmony between humans and nature.
Ithaca is a mysterious road-trip RPG from Bury Me, My Love studio Pixel Hunt
Ithaca is a road-trip RPG from developer Pixel Hunt, known for Bury Me, My Love. The game explores how far players will go to save the planet.
70 GAMES RELEASE EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AS GREEN GAME JAM 2026 GOES LIVE GLOBALLY
The 2026 Green Game Jam has officially launched, featuring 70 games that are introducing exclusive in-game content focused on coral reefs and rainforests to celebrate World Environment Day. This initiative, organized by Playing for the Planet, aims to raise awareness and funds for environmental causes through partnerships with Oceana and Rainforest Alliance. Participating games will roll out content across mobile, PC, and console platforms throughout June and September, with the HTML5 platform Poki rallying 20 of its titles to support the cause.
Issues and Activism
Humble Bundle announced a significant reforestation partnership with One Tree Planted, contributing $1.7 million to environmental initiatives. This collaboration highlights the company's commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility.
Save Some Green by Going Green... Energize Your Forests & Celebrate Arbor Day With Batteries Plus
Batteries Plus is offering discounts on Energizer Max batteries throughout May, with savings of $5 on one 24-pack and $12 on two. For every pack purchased, Batteries Plus will donate $1 to the Arbor Day Foundation to support tree planting initiatives. This partnership aims to help restore forests damaged by events like the 2021 Bootleg Fire.
NAMAKORIUM hits full release this month
Developer Polyscape announced that their cooperative strategy game NAMAKORIUM will leave early access and launch on PC on May 19th. The game tasks players with cleaning up polluted oceans by commanding sea cucumbers called Namakos, gathering resources, and constructing buildings. NAMAKORIUM supports up to four players and features unique Namako types with special abilities, over 40 scenic creatures to discover, and the threat of corrupted Blight Namako.
Artius: Pure Imagination is Sonic the Hedgehog for art students in a post-AI world
Artius: Pure Imagination is a new platformer that draws inspiration from the Sonic the Hedgehog series and emphasizes the value of creating art in a post-AI world. Players can switch between four characters with unique artistic talents as they navigate a city with a rich art history. The game features fast-paced, fluid platforming mechanics and a vibrant art style reminiscent of classic adventure games and Saturday morning cartoons, with a demo available on Steam.
Planet Of Lana II: Children Of The Leaf Review
Planet of Lana II: Children of the Leaf expands upon its predecessor with a more complex narrative and intricate puzzle mechanics. The sequel introduces new gameplay elements where Lana can hack machines and Mui can control creatures, leading to more involved puzzle sections. While the story delves into ethical dilemmas regarding resource extraction and machine usage, some plotlines feel unresolved, though the developers suggest this is intentional for player interpretation.
Time to Suit Up Against Cynicism in Clean Up Earth
Clean Up Earth is an Early Access title from Magic Pockets that blends action gameplay with environmental themes and real-life charity collaborations. Players use specialized suction equipment to clean up pollution in various levels, earning coins to upgrade their gear. The game aims to educate players about environmental dangers and promote positive action, despite some kinks typical of its Early Access status.
Rewilders: The Lost Spring Puts Ecology First in Action Roguelite That Actually Matters
Herobeat Studios has announced Rewilders: The Lost Spring, an action roguelite focused on ecological restoration. Players control Abi, who uses collected creatures called Hântu to combat environmental devastation. The game builds on the themes of Herobeat's previous title, Endling - Extinction is Forever, and is expected to release on Xbox platforms, potentially including Xbox Game Pass.
Recension – Tides of Tomorrow
Tides of Tomorrow is a post-apocalyptic first-person adventure game set in a flooded world where humanity survives on floating islands. Players take on the role of a 'Tidewalker' who can see the actions of other players, influencing their own choices and the world around them. The game explores themes of environmentalism and survival, with narrative choices having significant consequences, though it features limited action and exploration.
Out of the Blue
This opinion piece reflects on the significance of Earth Day, with the author quoting their elementary school principal's sentiment that every day should be Earth Day. The author suggests that a good starting point for this ideal would be to properly observe Earth Day itself.
Tides of Tomorrow Review - A storied swell
Tides of Tomorrow is a narrative adventure game that innovates with its 'story-link' mechanic, allowing players to follow and be influenced by the choices of others. While this system and its resource management are compelling, the game suffers from flat writing, underdeveloped characters, and muddled ecological themes. Despite its potential, the core narrative struggles to elevate the unique mechanics, making it a flawed experience.
Restore a once flourishing aquatic world : "Pond Keeper" demo released on steam for Earth Appreciation Festival.
Indie developer Dynamic Cell Games has released a demo for their creature breeding game, Pond Keeper, on Steam as part of the Earth Appreciation Festival. The game challenges players to breed diverse species, fulfill customer orders, clean up environments, and decorate with plants to restore aquatic worlds.
Clean Up Earth is now available
Magic Pockets has launched its cooperative environmental game, Clean Up Earth, on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X. The game allows up to 25 players to restore polluted environments, with in-game actions contributing to real-world environmental organizations through a micro-donation system. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is planned for a later announcement.
After depleting several natural resources in Pokopia, I'm wondering if my Pokémon friends might be better off without me
The author reflects on their extensive playtime in Pokémon Pokopia, realizing the finite nature of in-game resources and the environmental impact of their town-building activities. This realization prompts a discussion on the game's environmentalist themes and whether the player's actions are detrimental to the Pokémon world.
Hidden Gems of Game Design Volume 46
This article highlights several overlooked games, including Freeride, a choice-driven narrative game exploring themes of redemption and regret. Blazing Beaks is praised as a challenging roguelike with a unique artifact system, available on Nintendo Switch. Caravan SandWitch is a story-based puzzler on PC and PlayStation 5 that tackles colonialism, while Clean Up Earth offers a cathartic environmental cleanup experience with co-op and real-world donation features. Finally, Battle for Troy is presented as a real-time strategy take on the Trojan War era.
Put a Billionaire on Trial in Courtroom Deck-Builder All Will Rise as Kickstarter Enters Final Days
All Will Rise, a narrative courtroom deck-builder developed by Speculative Agency, is nearing the end of its Kickstarter campaign on March 23. The game focuses on a lawyer's fight against a corrupt billionaire for environmental destruction. The studio recently returned funding from Microsoft due to the 'No Games for Genocide' boycott, aligning with the game's themes of accountability. A demo is available on Steam.
We've got news. And we mean NEWS!
The Pixel Hunt announced that their game Wednesdays won three awards: 'Best Accessibility' and 'Game Beyond Entertainment' at the Pégases, and the Audience Award at the Independent Games Festival. The studio also revealed its next project, Ithaca, a narrative road-trip RPG about an environmental lawyer, and is preparing for a crowdfunding campaign.