Greenpeace Brazil is launching a new Minecraft game called Save Amazônia to raise awareness about the importance of protecting the largest rainforest in the world and the threats it is facing. The game invites players to become environmental activists and has been created in collaboration with indigenous people living in the Amazon.
Gamers start their journey in an Amazon community before being guided by an activist on several quests relating to the protection of the forest, such as putting out forest fires and combatting illegal mining.
Minecraft is one of the most popular online game platforms in the world, with more than 140 million active users. A significant proportion of players are children and teenagers, and Minecraft is widely used in schools around the world.
Rômulo Batista, a spokesperson for Greenpeace Brazil, said:
“The Amazon is vital for the planet and future generations, so we wanted to use Minecraft to tell younger people about the importance of the forest. Everyone can do their part to protect it from the threats it is facing.
“In the game you will be able to meet characters who live in the Amazon, learn about species from the region, and take part in quests to protect such an important ecosystem. To save the Amazon in the real world, we need to unite and pressure companies and governments to take action for the forest and its Peoples”.
The game was created with the support of the Manicoré community, located in the state of Amazonas. Furthermore, the plants and animals that appear in the game are native to the Amazon, including jaguars, toucans, monkeys and pink river dolphins.
The quests in the game are also based on real threats to the forest such as illegal mining, wildlife trafficking, river pollution and forest fires, as well as genuine solutions, such as reforestation.
Daniela Montalto, forests campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: “Meat and dairy production are the biggest drivers of deforestation globally, and major contributors to the biodiversity and climate crises. Precious ecosystems are being slashed and burned to grow soya for animal feed and to rear cattle for beef. Brits eat twice as much meat and dairy as the global average and the UK imports more than three million tonnes of soya every year, two-thirds of it from South America. Most of it used to feed chicken, pigs and dairy cows on factory farms.”
German actor Moritz Jahn (Netflix’ Dark, Get Lucky), who voices one of the activists in the English version of the game, said: “I love gaming. It’s fun, it’s captivating and offers a unique way of immersive storytelling. Two years ago, I was given the opportunity to witness the beauty of the Amazon first hand. But I also learned about threats local communities and activists who try to preserve these ecosystems are facing. Protecting the Amazon is essential for the survival of humankind and therefore a story we all need to share.”
Minecraft Save Amazônia is available on PC, Mobile, Xbox, PS4 and PS5 and can be found on Minecraft Marketplace.
