Apptivism is a term coined to represent a form of 'activism' – using entertaining and inexpensive games and apps to spread an environmental or social message. Passionate about gaming – and passionate about making a difference? I believe that interesting, addictive and thoughtful games can influence people’s attitudes in similar ways to some of the great environmental and social documentaries – Whale Wars, An Inconvenient Truth, Supersize me, The end of the line, etc. Ultimately Apptivism is aiming to entertain you, engage you and motivate you to take action. But I'll leave the last word to a Fast Company interview with NYTimes reporter and commentator Nick Kristof; 'I think gaming might be the next big platform for news organizations and causes. There’s some snobbery about games. Some people think games are just “what teenagers do” or that they are too fun to be worthy of our attention. But there are a lot of people who spend a lot of time playing games online, so we in the news business would do well to think about how we can use games to attract eyeballs'. What do you think? Please comment and/or submit your poll answer. About the Author - Leigh Marlow - Director of the Apptivist Studio Formed in 2010, the Apptivist Studio create unique and thoughtful iPhone games to engage and motivate you. In the process, we also contribute a percentage of revenue to relevant charities. Minke Rescue is our first release. You play the part of a minke whale in the beautiful and harsh Antarctic Ocean. Best of all, it's only 99c - and 30c from every game purchased goes directly to Sea Shepherd. For not much more than small change, you get a great little game that will entertain you for hours and hours… and, in a small way, you're directly contributing to the protection of Antarctica’s minke whale population. So go ahead, Game for change! View in iTunes; http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/geohero-minke-rescue/id488956489?mt=8
Decent idea and thought behind it but I voted no I want a bit of escapism when I play a game, no worries about the mortgage, job, statheir the world or money. Just pure escapism while I zap some pixels Could work perhaps, I remember when Teenage mutant ninja turtles came out in the 90s and the huge surge in parents buying turtles for their kids (and then hearing sadly about all the abandoned ones once they got bored of them). So the messages 'could' work But for me games are meant to be fun and light hearted with no big message behind them
Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated. I totally understand the fun and lighthearted element. My limited understanding of entertainment in an historical setting is that movies started out primarily as a means of escape (from the Great Depression). While books (and the printing press) were largely religious based... so extremely serious. Now however, each of these mediums has many, many different genres. I guess I kind of see games and gaming as no different. Like movies and books, perhaps there's room for many different genres. Cheers.
Nicholas Kristof from the NY Times commenting on the power of games I think gaming might be the next big platform for news organizations and causes. Some people think games are just what teenagers do or that they are too fun to be worthy of our attention. But there are a lot of people who spend a lot of time playing games online, so we in the news business would do well to think about how we can use games to attract eyeballs. Nicholas Kristof - NY Times columnist and Author http://www.gamesforchange.org/2012/01/kristof-for-journalists-games-are-the-new-social-media/
idk...i prefer the money i paid for the game to be spend on making the game better, new projects. I rather just game...for games and if I want to support/donate I would just donate. I don't like intermixing them.
