PLASTIC FANTASTIC
Let's play: new computer game to combat plastics pollution
— By Andru Shively —
A new player has entered the game. Scientists in the UK at the University of Portsmouth’s Revolution Plastics Institute, in partnership with Oxford-based games developer Rebellion, have announced a gaming project focused on educating the public about plastics waste management and promoting circular behaviour.
A new player has entered the game. Scientists in the UK at the University of Portsmouth’s Revolution Plastics Institute, in partnership with Oxford-based games developer Rebellion, have announced a gaming project focused on educating the public about plastics waste management and promoting circular behaviour.
 Gamifying circularity: scientists want to harness the interactive nature of gaming to change how we understand and manage plastics waste (Photo: Pexels/John Petalcurin) |
Citing the ineffectiveness of traditional awareness campaigns in shifting habits, the research team envisioned a new computer game as a creative, innovative method to sensitise people to concepts such as the waste hierarchy – which prioritises reduction and reuse over recycling in terms of their impact – “in a fun and interactive way, making sustainable choices second nature”, as lead researcher Kate Whitman said.
Related: UK university launches cutting-edge plastics research group
Details on gameplay and mechanics are not yet known, although we can imagine something more sophisticated, though no less circular, than mindlessly gobbling up plastic-pellet waste ad infinitum à la Pac-Man.
Still untitled, the circularity-minded game is scheduled for release in January 2026.
11.04.2025 Plasteurope.com [257678-0]
Published on 11.04.2025