When ‘CSR’ isn’t just a buzzword

And how gaming is harnessing tech as a force for good.

We don’t need data to tell us we’re spending more and more time on our mobile phones.

I’d wager you’re holding one right now. Right?

It goes without saying that the societal shift our handheld devices have driven over the past couple of decades is beyond unprecedented. And it’s been pretty brilliant.

For the overwhelming majority our phones are mobile entertainment centres: tools we turn to to communicate; to record; to photograph; to play.

Now consider the developer’s point-of-view. What happens when these tools give you undiluted, unfiltered, uninterrupted access to almost half a million people every single day?

New purposes emerge: to educate; to inform; to enlighten; to inspire.

Enter corporate social responsibility (CSR) for gaming companies.

At a time when increased device usage is making it even easier to directly communicate with so many people from all around the world, there’s a collective responsibility to harness their utility as a force for good — tools of a movement to drive awareness and lead change, however big or small.

At Futureplay, we created our game Idle Farming Empire out of a genuine love of our world and the animals within it.

That we’re able to spread this love to millions of people every week (and more than 25 million people since launch) gives us some serious kicks. It’s not a cliche to say we love developing our games even more than our players love playing them.

But what makes us even more excited is knowing that we have a passionate community of players who we can work together with to help benefit the whole world.

That’s why we’ve partnered with the planet’s longest-running and most established sea turtle charity, the Sea Turtle Conservancy, for Totally Turtles — a limited-time special event to mark World Turtle Day on May 23rd.

Sea turtles are a vital cog of our seas’ marine and dune ecosystems. Their importance is such that without them we might even struggle to survive ourselves, according to the Sea Turtle Conservancy.

Now, they’re on the verge of extinction.

To put their plight into context, sea turtles have been around even longer than humans.

But today, for every 1000 sea turtles that are born, only 1 survives until adulthood.

We’re setting out to change that.

From 18th to 26th May Idle Farming Empire players can play Totally Turtles and at the same time support sea turtles. 50% of Futureplay’s revenue from all in-app purchases made during the event will be donated to the Sea Turtle Conservancy.

Idle Farming Empire is helping sea turtles find their way home.

Whatever the scale of the issue and potential solutions, that the gaming industry is increasingly leveraging greater access to technology to raise awareness and inspire change can only mean positive things for society.

Because when it’s done right, it’s not just the players who win — everyone else wins too.

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For the curious-minded of you eager to learn more about Idle Farming Empire’s campaign, this video is a quick, easy watch. And Idle Farming Empire is available to download free here.