In 2021, Portuguese Red Cross approached with a challenge: could we make an educational game that connected with their portuguese teenage audience and was able to touch complex social issues in an engaging way? We don't shy away from a challenge and an opportunity to make a difference, so we jumped in.
In Play4Equality the player takes the role of a character in a group of high school friends, taking part in a short story developing behind a simulated smartphone interface, through video calling, texting and social media. Their decisions throughout the game influence the story's outcome, as they come to understand the problems other characters go through. The story revolves around themes related to gender equality, violence in relationships and human trafficking. These are complex and sensitive topics that we approach with special care, always in collaboration with the fantastic team from Portuguese Red Cross. The narrative design is presented using new ideias, using familiar concepts of UI design to tell a story in new, exciting ways.
The game is available in portuguese, it was designed to be played by teenagers from ages 13 to 17. It's also used in some schools across the country to promote dialogue and discussion around the themes it presents.
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