Our game is inspired by combating fake news. The core value is the training media literacy, where players are encouraged to question and scrutinize information, honing their ability to distinguish between credible and deceptive content. The game operates on a loop that engages players in a cycle of observation, analysis, and judgment. Each player selects from a deck of subtly altered account usernames and headlines to construct a plausible narrative, mirroring the often nuanced misinformation encountered in real-world media. This loop not only encourages attention to detail, as players must account for every minor character alteration that could betray a source’s illegitimacy but also promotes an environment of skepticism.
The game’s arc is based on the learning journey of each participant. As the game progresses, players develop a more better sense of judgment by observing the strategies and pitfalls of their peers. This experience creates a learning environment where players benefit from collective insight, leading to a deeper understanding of the tactics used in spreading misinformation.
Players learn not just to identify fake news, but also to anticipate it. Witnessing how a round unfolds—seeing how others judge and why certain tweets are deemed credible or not—players accumulate knowledge. As players become more adept at identifying misinformation, their credibility increases. To add an element of excitement and unpredictability, we may introduce a twist in the game wherein, once a player attains a certain level of credibility, they can choose between two distinct roles: spreading accurate information or misinformation. These roles would remain concealed from other players and come with different end goals. This element of deception not only enhances the game’s aesthetics but also continually challenges players’ abilities to detect misinformation.
In this way, the game acts as a microcosm of the larger media landscape. Players come to understand that every little piece of information can influence perception.
