Wildmender partners with the Rainforest Alliance to help gamers play in harmony with nature
Partnership will empower the world’s 1.8 billion gamers to learn about their impact on the planet and show them what they can do to help save it
Leamington Spa, UK - 19th September 2023
Upcoming PC and console game Wildmender (developed by Muse Games and published by Kwalee) which launches globally on 28th September has joined forces with the Rainforest Alliance to promote their shared goal:-
Wildmender X Rainforest Alliance empowers gamers to be more aware of the environment, reduce their impact on nature and be more proactive in how they nurture the planet.
The Rainforest Alliance is an international non-profit organisation with more than 35 years of experience in sustainability transformation and staff in 20+ countries. Their global alliance spans 58 countries and brings together farmers and forest communities, companies, governments, and millions of individuals. Their mission: to protect forests and biodiversity, take action on climate, and promote the rights and improve the livelihoods of rural people.
In line with Wildmender’s launch across Steam, Xbox and PlayStation at 4pm BST on Thursday 28th of September, the partnership seeks to engage and educate players about their impact on the environment and the role they could play in saving it.
In this, reality and fantasy coexist.
Wildmender’s game story sees players take control of a character tasked with restoring life to a dying world. Starting from a tiny oasis and accompanied by a guide spirit, Vidyas, the player will travel to and restore the altars of five Gods, and in the process remove corruption from their part of the world. The Gods themselves embody elements and natural processes (water, storms, time, etc.) and introduce themes of natural cycles, environmental damage, restoration, and harmony with nature.
This unique strategic collaboration seeks to leverage the power of gaming for a greater cause, raising awareness of social and environmental issues amongst gamers around the world as well as empowering players to make a real-world impact themselves.
The Rainforest Alliance will benefit from the relationship with Wildmender, its developer Muse Games and publisher Kwalee via fundraising and increased exposure to a young gaming audience in numerous media, including unique Downloadable Content (DLC - a Rainforest Alliance Frog Hat - available on Steam), on the Wildmender website and the game’s Discord community, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and associated TikTok videos.
Marco Maggiorotto, Global Brand Marketing Director at the Rainforest Alliance said: -
Gaming has the power to transcend virtual boundaries and shed light on critical issues, especially among younger generations. The Wildmender x Rainforest Alliance collaboration seamlessly blends the thrill of gameplay with an urgent environmental message. In Wildmender, millions of gamers are called to embrace and critically reflect on their role in preserving and restoring nature, within both the game's universe and our reality. Through this creative partnership, the Rainforest Alliance hopes to motivate and empower people to uphold our joint responsibility of restoring the balance between people and nature.
Howard Tsao, Team Lead at Muse Games (the developer behind Wildmender) said: -
“We created Wildmender as a fun game, of course - but also one with an important message in its heart. To succeed in the game, you need to restore life to a dying world. That’s exactly what the Rainforest Alliance is trying to achieve - and we’re so happy to be able to support its efforts through this partnership”.
Harry Lang, VP of Marketing at Kwalee (publisher of Wildmender) said: -
“It’s very rare for a partnership opportunity between a brand and a non-profit to fit as perfectly as Wildmender X Rainforest Alliance. The Rainforest Alliance empowers people to nurture the environment for the benefit of our home planet and our future - and that’s exactly what players will do in our game. As Wildmender’s publisher, Kwalee is delighted to see these two wonderful entities collaborating for the good of our planet”.
Wildmender is set to release on PC (Steam), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on September 28th, 2023
About Rainforest Alliance
The Rainforest Alliance, an international non-profit organisation, aims to foster a fundamental shift in markets that protects and restores forests and biodiversity, acts on climate, and promotes the well-being of rural communities. With a presence in nearly sixty countries, its alliance brings together farming and forest communities, companies, governments, civil society, and millions of individuals, all united in driving positive change across our world's most critical landscapes and global supply chains.
In 2022, Rainforest Alliance-certified farms spanned over 6 million hectares, in partnership with more than four million farmers and workers across nearly sixty countries. Additionally, the Rainforest Alliance engaged in eighty seven landscape and community projects worldwide. To accelerate the speed and scale of its impact, the Rainforest Alliance employs a multi-faceted approach, including certification, landscape and community programs, and advocacy. By 2030, its ambition is to reach one hundred million farmers and workers.
About Muse Games & Wildmender
Muse Games is an independent game development studio in NYC. The studio focuses on boundary pushing co-op and systems driven gameplay, with the aim of bringing people closer together through games. The team behind the award-winning and best-selling Guns of Icarus series on Steam and PS4 that features team-based multiplayer airship combat set in a post-apocalyptic, steam/dieselpunk-inspired world. The studio’s past projects include the award-winning and top selling titles Hamsterdam, CreaVures, and Embr.
About Kwalee Gaming
Kwalee is a multi-award-winning games publisher and developer based in Leamington Spa, UK, and publishes a growing catalogue of PC and console titles including Eternal Hope, Tens and Scathe, along with the upcoming titles Wildmender, ROBOBEAT, Space Chef, The Precinct and The Spirit of the Samurai.
Founded by games industry icon and Codemasters co-founder David Darling CBE, who leads a fast-growing team of global gaming experts with studios in the UK, India, China and Portugal along with remote team members all over the world, Kwalee is on the lookout for high-quality games to publish on all platforms and encourages developers to get in touch.
Officially recognised as 'Best Publisher' (Mobile Games Awards 2022) and 'Best Large Studio' (TIGA Awards 2021), Kwalee is also an ambassador of not-for-profit organisation Women in Games and a regular supporter of the charity SpecialEffect.
