Can This New Video Game Reduce Gun Violence?

Gun safety nonprofit Change the Ref takes an approach to reducing gun violence with a new video game. 

Today, CTR launched a sophisticated video game which simulates a school shooting - and the goal of the game is to safely escape which you can only do by "collecting" key legal bills. 

Coinciding with TwitchCon , Change the Ref and Energy BBDO have launched a video game titled “The Final Exam” on September 20 to challenge gamers to see if they can survive the school day during a shooting, educating them on the harsh reality of gun violence, and empowering them to drive real change against it by advocating for key gun safety bills.

Energy BBDO partnered with Webcore Games, Druid Creative Gaming, and Flutu Music to develop the game for Change the Ref. EBBDO was responsible for the creative direction.

Energy BBDO gamified the topic of gun violence to get in front of players – ranging from gen-Z to boomers – as well as parents, students aged 18-22, and gun control activists.

In the game, players must figure out how to navigate and escape the horrific reality of a school shooting. The game was designed based on real data gleaned from school shootings.

From the escape timeframe to the drills, sounds, alarms, messages on the wall, and objects left behind, every detail has been faithfully recreated to immerse players in this tragic reality.

Throughout the map, players will find data hidden in school books, boards and maps, providing factual information about school shootings in the U.S.

Throughout the game, five different bills are featured to educate players on how legislation can prevent future tragedies, and inspire them to take action politically, including:

• Ban Of Assault Weapons
• Secure Storage Ethan’s Law
• Ban Of High Capacity Magazines
• Background Checks For All Gun Sales
• Raise The Minimum Age to Purchase

If a player collects all five bills, then they have the option to survive/escape (“win”).

“The Final Exam” is designed to be played on computers, and will be available for download here.