The Frontex Files Games
These educational games tackle the integrity, transparency and ethical issues related to the Frontex Agency. In these games, the players are immersed in the Frontex world through an important investigation. They will have to search the building, collect clues, solve riddles, discuss with characters and complete a final mission to solve a mysterious case. Through this experience, the aim is to provide a range of perspectives and insights into several aspects of the agency’s workings and to raise awareness on related integrity, transparency and human rights issues.
To allow any citizen 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 topics covered.
The games have been created in collaboration by La Transplanisphère (France) and Förderband Kulturinitiative Berlin (Germany).
Focus on the Frontex Agency
Created in 2004, Frontex is the European Border and Coast Guard Agency in charge of controlling and protecting the external borders of the European Union. Funded by the EU and the Schengen countries, it has benefited in recent years from a large budget increase, making it the European agency with the largest budget.
With its growing role in the European landscape, many NGOs and MEPs are expressing concerns about the Agency’s increasing responsibilities. Its operations, actions and functioning raise important questions, particularly in terms of human rights, integrity and transparency.
The issues of European borders, migration and human rights being at the heart of current concerns, these games aim to give an overview and popularise some important issues related to Frontex, that can appear quite opaque at first.
Reports from NGOs, the European Commission and testimonies, are being revisited to offer an immersive story to be experienced in group or individually. While trying to solve a mysterious case, the players will learn about several aspects of Frontex such as budget management, borders protection, biometrics, drones, humans rights, and lobbying.
By offering an immersive experience in which the players become actors in these issues, the partners hope to touch citizens on an emotional level and thus stimulate their interest to learn more about the subject.
An immersive and educational scenario
The players embody the role of a private detective in charge of an important investigation at the Frontex headquarters in Warsaw.
In the morning, the building emergency alarm was triggered for mysterious reasons. A few minutes later, the electricity was cut off and the building was plunged into darkness. All Frontex staff had to evacuate in an emergency. In the confusion, six people are missing on the counting, probably still in the building. The security responsible thus entrusts you with a mission of the utmost importance: find the missing persons and find out what happened as quickly and discreetly as possible.
To complete this investigation, you will have to explore the different rooms of the Frontex building, collect clues, solve puzzles and talk to characters. Each room of the building deals with a particular aspect of Frontex (budget and recruitment issues, biometrics, drones or human rights). By exploring each room, you will not only progress in your investigation but will also learn more about these issues.
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, the 3D game offers an immersive single-player experience through 3D settings and cinematics. Anyone can download the game for free on their computers and dive into the Frontex world.
To complete this pedagogical experience, additional resources are also available to dig deeper in the topics explored. They include explanatory videos, experts interviews, articles, ONG research, official reports on several aspects of Frontex and related issues explored in the games.