We are pleased to announce the release of two escape games: Euphorigen Investigation and ChronoShift: Reality Rewritten. Both games are available in Dutch, Polish, and Slovenian, and address different aspects of misinformation.
Their release is an important milestone for the ESC-MISINFO project. Both games were developed by the Center for an Informed Public at the University of Washington (CIP/UW). Over the past year, project partners Cultuurconnect (Belgium), FRSI (Poland) and PiNA (Slovenia) have worked with librarians in their countries to adapt them, and the games have been tested in the project’s nine pilot libraries.
Euphorigen Investigation
Euphorigen Investigation follows the story of a supplement, “Euphorigen”, and asks whether it is safe for the public. Players enter a world of misleading news stories, social media bots, and deepfake images and videos, in search of the truth. Using co-design, each country localised the stories to reflect their national contexts, resulting in games that are intended to be both relevant and engaging for local players. All versions share the same puzzles and learning goals, but the characters and setting differ from one country to the next. Pilot testing in several libraries indicate players have enjoyed the game and absorbed its learning goals.
ChronoShift: Reality Rewritten
ChronoShift: Reality Rewritten invites players to reflect on the unintended consequences of using AI “just for fun.” Research suggests that many young people do not fully consider the potential harm of manipulating images or videos with generative AI tools, especially when framed as a harmless prank. As these tools make such actions effortless, the game challenges players to think about how digital jokes can produce real-world impacts.
How to play
Both games are played by teams of 4-6 players and facilitated by a librarian or educator. Game kits, facilitator resources, and post-game debrief guides are freely available for download:
Why localisation matters
Misinformation does not look the same everywhere, and a game works best when players recognise their own world in it. To find out how and why we adapted the game stories for each country, read our earlier article: One size doesn’t fit all: the importance of localisation in the fight against misinformation.