(100) Playing for the Planet: Effects of a Commercial Ecogame on Attitudes, Affect, and Behavior

Contributors: Edlinger, M. , Huber, S. E., Ninaus, M.

Venue: FUTURE EDUCATION Conference 2026: Interdisciplinary Research Perspectives, Graz, Österreich, September 1-3, 2026

Abstract:
Introduction. As the threat of climate change persists, conventional knowledge transfer has often proven ineffective for climate communication [1]. By combining entertainment with learning opportunities video games have recently attracted attention as innovative tools that can foster attitude change and environmental awareness [2]. A recent meta-analysis shows [3] that video gaming can influence attitudes on social and environmental issues, including climate change, with effects that are typically small but nonetheless consistent. Drawing on persuasive game mechanics such as perspective-taking and meaningful feedback, even games designed primarily for entertainment can influence players’ attitudes [3]. However, research is needed on how ecogames, i.e. games that address environmental issues, can be integrated into educational contexts to maximise their impact. As such, the present study examines a commercially available ecogame, Gibbon: Beyond the Trees, and tests its effects on pro-environmental attitudes, affect, and behaviour. We experimentally varied the level of post-gameplay reflection across three conditions (none, moderate, and substantial) to assess whether structured reflection moderates the effects of gameplay on these outcomes.
Methods. A total of 211 participants played the game Gibbon: Beyond the Trees in a controlled lab environment and were randomly assigned to one of three post-game activities with varying degree of reflection: (1) a control condition involving no reflection; (2) a moderate reflection condition, in which participants wrote a brief game review; and (3) a substantial reflection condition, in which participants engaged in guided self-debriefing by answering reflection-oriented questions. The used game was selected based on previous natural language processing-based analysis of over 180.000 player-written reviews of ecogames on the gaming platform Steam, which identified and ranked ecogames by climate change–related content [4]. The current study employed a mixed experimental design with one between-subjects factor (degree of reflection; three levels: no reflection, moderate reflection, substantial reflection) and one within-subjects factor (time; two levels: pre- vs. post-gameplay). The procedure comprised three phases: (1) an online pre-measurement, (2) an on-site lab session in which participants played the full story mode of the ecogame, and (3) an optional online follow-up. Participants completed environmental measures and affect ratings at pre and immediately post-gameplay. At the end of the lab session, participants received 20.00€ and could donate any portion to one or more environmental NGOs as a proxy for pro-environmental behaviour.
Results and Discussion. Participants showed significant pre/post improvements in palm-oil-related attitudes (i.e., one of the core themes in the game; d = .454), wildlife value orientations (d = .234), and global environmental attitudes (d = .430), accompanied by affective changes aligned with the game’s narrative (increased sadness, anger, disgust, and guilt; decreased joy). These attitudinal and affective shifts coincided with substantial behavioural responses. In particular, on average, participants donated 45% of their 20.00€ compensation to environmental NGOs. Feelings of guilt and sadness correlated most strongly with donation amount (r = .221 and r = .208, respectively). Effects were stronger among participants who liked the game, underscoring the importance of appeal and production quality. Notably, post-gameplay reflection manipulations did not moderate attitudinal change or donation amounts, indicating robust effects of gameplay alone. Potential explanations include a ceiling effect given the predominantly young sample (mean age = 26.7) and participant fatigue due to a prolonged lab session (over two hours). Importantly, attitude change was largest for attitudes tied to the game’s central theme (palm oil production), indicating specificity of the found effects even in the absence of an impact of the reflection manipulation. An optional follow-up, completed by 128 participants, indicated prolonged cognitive engagement with the game and its themes: participants reported thinking about it, discussing it with friends, and acknowledging its educational value.
Educational Significance. Overall, ecogames, particularly well-received commercial titles with strong thematic alignment, show promise for climate change communication and environmental education. Given the vast global reach of video games, they offer unique potential to scale pro-environmental engagement across diverse audiences. This is notable because video games are culturally pervasive artifacts, reaching billions of players globally [5], especially young people who will face long-term consequences of climate change. Engaging and educating them is vital for fostering solutions [6]. Importantly, games need not be “serious games” to have impact; commercial entertainment titles, as used in this study, can also influence attitudes and behaviour.

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