Serengeti - mobile/online game

The Problem

Human Wildlife Conflict (HWC) in regions where dense human populations live in close proximity with wildlife stems from competition for natural resources and, as importantly, living space. As both groups impinge of one another's territory, negative consequences invariably and predictably arise. From retaliation for the loss of lifestock to the encroachment on vital assets necessary for the survival of a particular wildlife, human-driven extinction of species is a complex issue.

Our Proposal

While many conservation projects focus on technology driven solutions in the field, we feel it is as important and essential to raise awareness of HWC in every sphere of influence possible. This includes the general public and we believe the best way to achieve this goal is to expose people to the issue in unusual ways, entertaining while always keeping the message in the background. 'Serengeti: A Race For Life' is a card game that was brought to market in 2018, and thereafter successfully introduced to the public via gaming conventions and distribution in Germany and the Benelux. We want to go further and develop an online/mobile version of the game that can be used to sensitise people at a time particularly adequate to reposition the environmental challenges of the 21st century back in the centre of the public debate.

We Assume that...

We assume that the critical aspect missing to move apace with appropriate policies is the public pressure.

We assume there is a lack of exposition to the sensitive global issues, with news outlets focussing on local economy and consumer benefit from lifestyle products.

We assume that where exposed to those issues, the emphasis is on creating a direct sense of responsibility that can be off-putting and counter-productive to the goal.

Constraints to Overcome

One key issue we have identified is that the general public is often unaware of the scale of the loss of biodiversity, and the urgency required to influence the political world to formulate bold policies that will ensure a future for wildlife. We believe we can help make the former push the latter into the appropriate direction.

Current Work

We are currently building the online version of the game, as well as a solo module, unreleased in physical form. Research of the various platforms where the game could be deployed and their specific idiosyncrasies is ongoing.

Current Needs

We require people experienced in developing for mobile platforms, iOS and Android, as well as dedicated tabletop gaming platforms. We are also looking for people willing to test iterations of the product during the prototyping stage.