social-gaming

2 posts

discord

November Staff Picks: When One Door Closes… (opens in new tab)

As 2024 draws to a close, the holiday season provides a prime opportunity for enthusiasts to share their passion for gaming with friends and family. This initiative brings together a mix of veteran and new contributors to discuss their current gaming habits and offer guidance to those entering the hobby. By focusing on accessible recommendations, the group aims to help "Level 1" gamers find a welcoming entry point into the community during the transition to 2025. ### Seasonal Gaming and Newcomer Support * The end-of-year holiday period is framed as a strategic time for social gaming and discovering new titles. * A primary objective of the discussion is to facilitate "game discovery" for individuals who may be unfamiliar with the current landscape. * The content focuses on bridging the gap between seasoned players and beginners, ensuring that newcomers have a clear path to start their journey. ### Contributor Panel and Perspectives * The discussion features returning contributors Emi and Tyler, alongside two new voices, Veronica and Carlos. * The panel provides a diverse range of perspectives by sharing what they are currently playing to provide real-world context for their suggestions. * Specific attention is given to curated recommendations designed specifically for "Level 1" gamers to reduce the barrier to entry for the hobby. This seasonal look at gaming encourages experienced players to act as mentors, using holiday gatherings as a platform to introduce well-vetted titles to those just starting out. For the best results, consider the specific interests of your "Level 1" audience when applying these panel recommendations to your own social circles.

discord

Wicked Saints Turns Players into IRL Superheroes with the Help of e.l.f. Beauty and Discord (opens in new tab)

Wicked Saints Studios has launched *World Reborn*, a pioneering interactive story game designed to translate digital achievements into tangible real-world social impact. Built by a team of peacebuilders and behavioral scientists, the platform leverages positive psychology to reveal players' character strengths through narrative gameplay and "Training Mods." The launch marks a new paradigm for brand-led missions where Gen Z players can improve their personal wellbeing while contributing to global social causes. **Behavioral Technology and Skill-Building** * The game is described as "Duolingo for saving humanity," using bite-sized interactive narratives to improve player wellbeing and relationships. * The platform employs behavioral technology to identify a player's natural "character strengths," encouraging them to apply these traits to day-to-day reality. * Mastery within the game is specifically designed to bridge the gap between digital entertainment and real-life skills, such as resilience and emotional regulation. * The project emerged from Niantic’s BDI incubator, utilizing the expertise of former senior engineers from *Pokémon GO*. **Brand-Led Social Impact Missions** * The platform features "Training Mods," which are real-world quests hosted by corporate and non-profit partners to tackle specific social issues. * Exclusive launch partner e.l.f. Beauty has developed quests focused on building confidence in young girls and supporting Elite Women Athletes, featuring insights from WNBA star Aerial Powers. * Discord serves as the exclusive communications partner, hosting Training Mods centered on teen mental health, authenticity, and the use of gaming for stress reduction. * The Starlight Children’s Foundation provides a mission where players send words of encouragement to hospitalized children, using the story of a transplant survivor to foster empathy and connection. **Connecting with Gen Z Through Authenticity** * The platform targets the 13–24 demographic, noting that 87% of Gen Z play games at least once a week. * By moving beyond traditional advertising, brands can connect with Gen Z through the social spaces and authentic interactions they already prioritize. * The game leverages the social infrastructure of Discord to help players form communities around their unique strengths and gameplay experiences. **The Multi-Disciplinary Development Team** * Wicked Saints is a Black female-led studio backed by major industry players including Riot Games and Reid Hoffman. * The leadership team combines an Emmy-award winning storyteller and international peacebuilder with a behavioral science researcher. * Creative talent for the project includes veterans from major franchises and productions such as *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse*, *Love Death + Robots*, and *Marvel*. For organizations looking to engage younger demographics, *World Reborn* offers a scalable model for integrating corporate social responsibility directly into the gaming experience. The app is currently available on the Apple App Store for an initial eight-week limited run.