Games have the potential to drive real-world climate action, according to new findings from the Play2Act initiative.
The in-game poll, embedded in 24 popular titles including Subway Surfers, Pokemon GO! and Avakin Life, surveyed 181,000 players from 189 countries — with promising results.
Launched in September 2024 by not-for-profit platform PlanetPlay in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Play2Act aimed to assess the impact of environmental messaging in games.
Of those who engaged with green content, 79% reported making at least one positive behavioural change.
Notably, 47% said they had reduced their environmental impact by altering energy use or switching to public transport, while 34% made greener consumption choices.
“Games are uniquely positioned to engage a vast and diverse audience on environmental issues,” said Rhea Loucas, CEO at PlanetPlay. “The Play2Act results prove that when sustainability is embedded into gameplay, it doesn’t just inform—it inspires real action.”
The survey reached players via games with a weekly audience of 80 million.
Participating studios included Unity, SYBO, Rovio, Microsoft/Xbox Insider and Bandai Namco. The initiative is also part of the wider GREAT project, supported by the EU Horizon programme and UKRI.
“With our game Subway Surfers reaching an extensive global audience, we hold an opportunity and a huge responsibility,” said Matthias Gredal Norvig, CEO of SYBO. “Games can be a powerful tool to amplify climate and environmental action.”
Cassie Flynn, Global Director of Climate Change at UNDP, added: “The Play2Act initiative shows the potential of games — not only as an entertainment tool, but also as platforms for gathering insights and engaging with individuals, especially young people, on a large scale.”
