Facilitate Grief for the World

The climate crisis is a major existential threat that can be very overwhelming. Games and storytelling can help us process emotions into action.

DESCRIPTION
Recognizing that our planet is suffering, along with many living beings, is an important step in finding motivation to take action.

WHY IT MATTERS
The climate crisis has a devastating impact on many ecosystems. Entire areas of the planet are rapidly suffering irreparable damage, which the media is reporting to us in many ways. It is (also) our responsibility to encourage players to empathize with the suffering of other living beings.

DO’S & DON’TS
Don’t be doomist
If it wasn’t already clear, this is about facilitating grief, not creating it. There are already plenty of games trying to capitalize off the media spotlight trailed on climate change, trying to shock the audience by making them as sad, scared, and angry as possible. That’s not likely to be very productive, and it’s not what this goal is about. Instead, we assume the grief is already there, and we search for ways to nurture it into something useful to the player.

Be respectful of players’ pain
Each player deals with pain in different ways. Try to build experiences that can create an empathetic connection, not wounds. If you don’t feel you can do this, then avoid this kind of approach altogether and leave it to those who can write complex narratives.

“Honoring our Pain for the World” is the second step in Joanna Macy’s spiritual action spiral, “The Work that Reconnects

“Games should help us grieve.” Alenda Chang, Rambunctious Games manifesto