With the escalating frequency of extreme weather events due to climate change, there is an urgent need to increase awareness about climate changes anticipated effects. There is a need to increase participation in this dialogue and to expand the pool of those actively involved in the quest for viable, long-term adaptation and mitigation strategies. Hidden Habitats is a multi-player, multi-species, world-building game that simulates the experience of climate change across a range of urban ecosystems. The game invites players to enter its world in a range of avatars, including those of a mangrove, a human, or a crab, and allows players to understand the impact of decision making at various scales and the interconnectedness of different species. Through gameplay, players can see and test possible futures, empowering them to think critically about the state of their urban environments and make more informed decisions about the present and the future. This project connects design thinking around climate futures to the larger and highly engaged population of gamers.
