The Lobbying Games
These educational games tackle the topic of lobbying through the prism of wind turbines. Based on the escape games concept, players are immersed in the heart of lobbying mechanisms and wind turbines debate, during a European congress. They will have to search the rooms of a big hotel, collect clues, talk to characters and make important choices. The aim of the games is to introduce citizens with the different rules and mechanisms of lobbying, the issues related to wind turbines installation and their relationship to integrity and corruption.
To allow any citizens to enjoy this playful yet educational experience, we have developed 2 types of games, based on a similar scenario:
Additional resources are also available to deepen the themes covered.
The games have been created in collaboration by La Transplanisphère (France) and Teatro Rigodon (Italy). Michele Ulizio, an Italian journalist, and Transparency International France, an anti-corruption NGO, brought their expertise on the subject.
Focus on Lobbying and wind turbines
Lobbying is the act of an entity intervening with public officials to influence a public decision in order to serve particular interests, values or a cause. It is therefore a key issue in the democratic processes of our European societies.
To address this issue of lobbying, the topic of wind turbines was chosen because of its importance and its controversial aspect in the current public debate. The associated social and environmental issues have now taken on a global dimension. They involve positive and negative aspects, different actors and interests, but also mechanisms of influence and sometimes even corruption. Very often, in the discourse on the installation of wind turbines, political and economic interests are at stake.
The Lobbying games aim to give an overview of this debate and its nuances through the lens of influence and lobbying mechanisms. They aim to raise citizens’ awareness, in a playful and educational way, of the different lobbying mechanisms at work, their impact on the integrity of our societies, as well as on the questions of wind turbine installation.
Through an immersive scenario, players will discover the issues related to wind turbines and will face lobbying situations. By proposing an interactive experience in which the public becomes an actor in these issues, the partners hope to touch citizens on an emotional level and thus stimulate their desire to know more.
An immersive and educational scenario
The games take place in a large hotel, during a European congress on energy transition and wind turbines. The players will embody the role of an Italian village mayor. Their mission: to make a decision on whether or not to install wind turbines in the village and to give a public speech according to the decision made.
During this conference, the players will gather information to make their decision, meet many characters (stakeholders), and will have to make decisive choices! They will be confronted with several lobbying mechanisms (legal, illegal, transparent, corrupt, ethical or not) and will be able to use some themselves to convince their audience.
They will have to go through several rooms: the hotel hall to learn more about wind turbines, the cocktail room to exchange with the characters, and a private room to meet the most influential parties. Finally, the players will have to give a public press conference using arguments explored during the game.
At the end of the game, the players will be provided with a summary of all the lobbying mechanisms seen and used. They will discover the degree of transparency, integrity, corruption and ethics of their decisions and actions!
2 types of games
This game, mixing escape game and board game, can be played by any group of citizens for free, thanks to a downloadable kit and an app. This kit includes all the elements and guides you in the use of the game.
Developed on Unity3D, this 3D game offers an immersive single-player experience through 3D settings and cinematics. Anyone can download the game for free on their computer.
To complete this educational experience, additional resources are available to deepen the topics explored. They include explanatory videos, interviews with experts, scientific articles on lobbying and wind turbines.