Greenpeace Brazil has revealed that it is launching a new Minecraft game entitled Save Amazônia to raise awareness of the importance of protecting the largest rainforest in the world, as well as the threats it is currently facing.
Created in collaboration with the indigenous people of the Manicoré community living in the Amazon, Save Amazônia sees players start their journey in an Amazon community before being guided by an activist on several quests relating to the protection of the forest, such as putting out forest fires and combatting illegal mining.
The launch date has been pushed back, from an original due date of September 26, though the new launch date has not been confirmed.
Plus, everything players interact with, including the nature surrounding them, has been designed to be as authentic as possible. Plants and animals that appear in the game are native to the Amazon, including jaguars, toucans, monkeys, and pink river dolphins.
The quests are also based on real threats to the forest, such as illegal mining, wildlife trafficking, river pollution, and forest fires, as well as genuine solutions, such as reforestation.
Talking about the impactful project, Rômulo Batista, a spokesperson for Greenpeace Brazil, said: “The Amazon is vital for the planet and future generations, so we wanted to use Minecraft to tell younger people about the importance of the forest. Everyone can do their part to protect it from the threats it is facing.
“In the game, you will be able to meet characters who live in the Amazon, learn about species from the region, and take part in quests to protect such an important ecosystem. To save the Amazon in the real world, we need to unite and pressure companies and governments to take action for the forest and its peoples.”
To give UK gamers a more local perspective of the importance of the Amazon rainforest and Brits’ impact on it, forests campaigner at Greenpeace UK Daniela Montalto shared: “Meat and dairy production are the biggest drivers of deforestation globally, and major contributors to the biodiversity and climate crises.
“Precious ecosystems are being slashed and burned to grow soya for animal feed and to rear cattle for beef. Brits eat twice as much meat and dairy as the global average and the UK imports more than three million tonnes of soya every year, two-thirds of it from South America. Most of it used to feed chicken, pigs, and dairy cows on factory farms.”
Minecraft Save Amazônia is now available on PC, Mobile, Xbox, PS4, and PS5 and can be found on Minecraft Marketplace.
