Extended Reality game educates players on resource scarcity

GuestXR partners have developed an innovative Extended Reality (XR) experience aiming to raise environmental awareness as part of a research study of individual and group dynamics towards resource scarcity
An innovative Extended Reality (XR) game has been developed to redefine climate change education by immersing participants in scenarios that emphasize the critical importance of sustainable resource management. The game is the result of a collaboration between academic institutions and industry experts under the framework of the European GuestXR project, funded by the Horizon 2020 program.
The game simulates a “tragedy of the commons” scenario, where players confront the consequences of resource mismanagement. Players’ actions in cryptocurrency mining reflect the environmental impacts of unsustainable resource usage, experiencing firsthand how short-term decisions can lead to long-term consequences for the planet.
“Our goal was to create a game that not only informs but also empowers individuals to take action against climate change,” said Andrzej Nowak, Professor at the University of Warsaw. “Through this extended reality environment, we can demonstrate the tangible effects of resource management decisions.”
The XR game provides an opportunity to study how individuals and groups respond to and manage scenarios of the tragedy of the commons. Players must balance personal gain with communal well-being, mirroring real-world dilemmas. Developed under the leadership of the University of Warsaw, with Kiin (formerly known as Virtual Bodyworks) as a co-creator providing advanced VR technology and valuable input from the team at the University of Barcelona, the game delivers a highly immersive user experience. During the conceptual development phase, the implementation strategy for reinforcement learning was also consulted with members of the Advanced Reality Lab at Reichman University.
“As climate change continues to pose significant challenges globally, innovative educational tools like this VR game play a crucial role in promoting environmental responsibility,” said Dr. Weronika M. Lewandowska, Immersive Media Storyteller from the University of Warsaw. “This is not just a game; it’s an eye-opening exploration of our collective role in shaping a sustainable future.”
Looking ahead, the project plans to integrate an artificial intelligence agent, called “The Guest,” into the game. This dynamic AI will monitor participants’ interactions and dynamically adjust the virtual environment to promote calm, mitigate tensions, and encourage constructive and cooperative actions.
This game constitutes one of the practical applications part of the GuestXR project, coordinated by Eurecat Technology Center. The project mission is to leverage XR and AI to address pressing social and environmental challenges, building a “metaverse for good”. Additional applications of the project include tools or understanding conflict dynamics and exploring factors behind the escalation of social protests.
The GuestXR project unites an international team of universities, research institutions, and businesses, including four universities (the University of Maastricht, the University of Warsaw, the University of Barcelona and Reichman University), two research institutes (Eurecat and Inria) and two businesses (Kiin and g.tec medical engineering GMBH).