Players Learn To Identify Fake News Through Kickstarter Game

When looking through the headlines, it is quite difficult to know the truth in the world where biased reports, fake news, and viral clickbait are everywhere. As a result, Kickstarter has rolled out a new game with the aim of removing the curtain that has covered the public eye and unveiling the working process of journalism by putting them into the role of a journalist.

In Misinformer game, the players will disguise themselves as a normal journalist who is working to crack a conspiracy. The starting point of players will be a moderator of a common boring forum related to gardening; however, changes will start when there is a wave of spam from politics that forces you to find out who is behind everything.

This text-based game is only available on a smartphone UI, requiring players to discover what is really true among misinformation and fake news. Through the game, players can learn the necessary skills to discover and debunk fake news in their daily life.

Jay McGregor, CEO of Point, an investigative journalism startup, is the one who creates Misinformer. With the aim of disclosing everything, Engadget and Point will sign a contract to create a series of features, including political issues, technology, and the internet.

As the project is taking place, Point staff will fictionalize true investigations from their YouTube channel and add them to Misinformer in the form of downloadable content. As a result, players can access a variety of new material and the news will be continuously updated throughout the game.

It is estimated that Point will finish the game by December 2019. Like other Kickstarter campaigns, even when the project reaches its goal of £18,500 ($23,027), it’s not guaranteed that the game will be successful in the future. However, if you have an interest in this project, right now, you can get an early bird copy with £5 ($6).