observer reports
A View From Sociological Research & Practice
During the Mzansi Climate Justice Game Jam, three student observers from the Centre for Sociological Research & Practice at the University of Johannesburg participated in the game jam sessions on-location in South Africa.
Below you can find their two reports:
Report 1: My Mzansi Climate Justice Game Jam Experience
by Vuyani Lephoto
On the 7th of June 2025, I attended the first session of the Mzansi Climate Justice Game Jam as an observer for the Centre for Sociological Research & Practice. The Mzansi Climate Justice Game Jam is a hybrid collaborative initiative organized by internet teapot research and design studio during which participants in the Netherlands and South Africa meet every Saturday in June (7th, 14th, 21st 28th) both online and on-location. The event is centred on developing and implementing games to raise awareness of climate justice issues faced by societies in the Global South and Global North. The event brings together participants to co-create games, socialize, and receive guidance on ways to conceptualize and develop games with social impact.
The session on 7 June consisted of 2 major segments – the first of which took place online over Zoom between the Netherlands and South Africa and focused on discussing the purpose of the games, as well as key points and significant factors that participant should consider during the design and implementing phase. The guest speaker in the Netherlands, Dr. Stefan Werning from Utrecht University’s Center for Game Research, highlighted the importance of creating eco-games. He emphasised key concepts such as goal conflicts and questions, suggesting participants implement a game that mirrors real world environmental challenges to encourage critical thinking. Dr. Werning noted that the game should not frustrate players as that may overwhelm them, discourage them from playing the game, and may prevent them from engaging with the climate change issues the game is trying to bring awareness to.
The session facilitator on-location in Johannesburg, Mxolisi Xaba, emphasised the importance of adopting a paradigm that seeks to understand the lived experiences of communities on climate justice issues. Adopting a paradigm that promotes coming from within the communities, thus interpreting meanings and experiences that can aid participants to effectively and accurately mirror real world environmental challenges in the game. The primary aim of the first session was to provide participants with knowledge and an understanding of the importance of implementing a social conscious game around climate justice issues that are impactful in society.
The second segment of the session focused on participants creating paper prototypes, with the primary goal of generating concepts, and forming teams that will further develop the ideas and determine the focus of their games. The team formation was intended to foster more collaboration and skills sharing. I was also placed in a team to observe and contribute to the process. The team I was part of focused on creating a game centred on indigenous knowledge systems. A key priority in this team was to bring awareness to sustainability and land conservation, utilising indigenous knowledge to protect, manage, and restore land to its natural state. Through this, the game encourages maintaining biodiversity through indigenous knowledge systems for the survival of the ecosystems of living things. My teammate, Philly, spoke about a cultural practice observed in black families that involves digging a hole and throwing organic leftovers into the hole. As a result of this practice, the land will start enriching the soil and grass will start growing along with plants and vegetation.
I really find the whole concept of developing a game to challenge societal issues very interesting. I never thought games could be used as a source for education as I perceived them to serve us with entertainment only. The concept made me reflect on the games I have played before and what their purpose are. Are games being used to fulfil something in society, to shape people’s thinking and to normalise certain things in society?
My knowledge in regards to climate change was limited prior to the gathering, or rather, I was ignorant of how climate change really affects us in society. To me, it was just another problem among many other problems we have in the world. But through this, I have come to realise this is a bigger problem and we need to save our world in order to save ourselves as human beings as we are part of the ecosystem. If we let it die, we are basically eradicating our species as well.
Report 2: Mzansi Climate Justice Game Jam
by Ndumiso Mphahlele
The second session of the Mzansi Climate Justice Game Jam, titled “Twist,” centres on the development of games that tackle real-life challenges faced by society. This session’s theme encourages participants to integrate their knowledge and expertise to think of alternative solutions to climate justice issues through gameplay. The event kicked off with an insightful presentation by environmental scientist Mulako Kabisa from the University of the Witwatersrand and Assistant Professor of Interactive Media, Screens, and Interfaces at Utrecht University, Dr. Laura op de Beke. Mulako Kabisa focused on the multifaceted impacts of climate change on ecosystems, wildlife, and human communities. She illustrated her points with compelling visuals that depicted potential future scenarios—both positive and negative—depending on our choices regarding climate awareness and action. Dr Laura op de Beke emphasized the crucial role that game developers play in addressing these pressing issues. By creating engaging and activist games, developers can not only entertain players but also equip them with the knowledge and motivation to confront challenges like climate change. The speakers called on participants to think critically about their designs and to consider how their games could foster greater environmental awareness and encourage proactive solutions among players.
The second part of the session focused on providing constructive peer feedback to various groups working on innovative games aimed at promoting social justice. This feedback session was designed as a collaborative space for participants to exchange ideas and insights that could inspire and improve the games being developed, ensuring they effectively resonate with players’ experiences and perspectives. Conducted via Zoom between participants in the Netherlands and South Africa, the session allowed for lively discussions and brainstorming among attendees from diverse backgrounds. During this feedback exchange, I discovered that some of the games proposed by the European participants were creative and imaginative; however, they didn’t always align with the social issues they intended to raise awareness about. This highlighted an important opportunity for these groups to refine their concepts and ensure a stronger connection between their game mechanics and the messages they wish to communicate. Overall, it was a valuable learning experience for everyone involved!
After a short break, the groups got a chance to work on their game ideas. My group is called Roots and Rain (later renamed Pula and Roots). Our game focuses on subsistence farming. We came up with several great concepts that focus on the daily lives of people in South Africa, like social issues and cultural practices. During our discussion, we realized that working together helps us think of new ideas and saves time since we can quickly develop our concepts for the game, which we need to complete in a few weeks. As we finished the event, Professor Nthabiseng Motsemme from the University of Johannesburg joined our discussion. She specializes in Sociology and offered us helpful theoretical frameworks and themes to make our game more engaging. Professor Motsemme shared valuable insights based on indigenous knowledge, giving us new perspectives to consider. Our group appreciated her contributions, which added real depth to our project.
In conclusion, the event was exceptionally engaging and insightful. I had the opportunity to present various alternative strategies that different groups could implement to enhance their game designs. This aspect of the event allowed for lively discussions and a sharing of innovative ideas. Moreover, the inviting atmosphere, along with the warm and open-minded individuals I met, made me feel comfortable and welcomed, especially considering this was my first experience in such a dynamic environment. I believe that the games currently being developed have the potential to significantly impact young audiences, helping them to become more aware of environmental issues. By integrating themes related to nature and climate change into the gameplay, these games can serve as effective educational tools, encouraging children to engage with and act on pressing ecological challenges.