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Decarbonise America in the tiny card-based Green New Deal Simulator, out now for freeThe spiritual successor to Democratic Socialism Simulator
The spiritual successor to Democratic Socialism Simulator
Image credit:Molleindustria
Image credit:Molleindustria
TheGreen New Deal Simulatorbegins with a talking owl. This owl can’t sleep at night, mainly because it’s nocturnal, but also because the planet’s impending environmental doom has affected their shoddy sleep schedule. That’s where the Green New Deal Simulator comes in, a micro deck-builder about transitioning the USA into a post-carbon economy, all while keeping employment rates stable. The results are simultaneously funny, educational, intense, and they help that damn owl get a good night’s rest.
The Green New Deal Simulator - Release TrailerWatch on YouTube
The Green New Deal Simulator - Release Trailer
The game comes from Paolo “Molleindustria” Pedercini who’s no stranger to pseudo-satirical games about very serious topics. Molleindustria has previously tackled the unethical world of smartphone manufacturing, fake orgasms, and most relevantly, theDemocratic Socialism Simulatorput us in the shoes of a left-wing government. As you might have noticed from the names, the Green New Deal Sim is a spiritual successor to the Democratic Socialism Sim, sharing a clean user interface and simple drag-and-drop gameplay.
Green New Deal Sim features a simplified map of America that splits the country into regions, all of which hold a pie chart representing the ratio between fossil fuel emissions and clean energy. You need to use your hand of action cards to completely decarbonise the country before 2050 while keeping an eye on your money reserves and employment rates.
“We need culture that raises awareness of the solutions,” Molleindustria writes in theirblog post. “I felt the need to tackle climate change as something that has to be done right here, right now, and without the need for entirely new political and economic structures.” It continues: “There is a chance we won’t bring down capitalism in the next 20 years or so, and that’s the timeframe we have to avoid irreversible environmental damage.
Chasing a post-carbon future is a real tug of war between budget, a dwindling clock, and people’s livelihoods. And it’s a fun lesson, gamifying something so serious for 30-40 minute runs. You can play it for free onSteam,Itch.io, or mobile.
