Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
World
Dharna Noor

Revealed: how Toyota uses retro-style games and prizes to urge US workers to lobby politicians

Toyota United States Donald Trump Akio Toyoda Greenpeace Public Citizen
A video game–style scene showing a knight in silver armor with a red cape and a Toyota logo on the shield, standing on a winding path facing two red dragons with spread wings. A boxy Toyota dealership building with the Toyota logo sits in the background, and a red car is visible in front of it. Interface elements include a coin counter reading “833,” a button labeled “LEVEL I,” and a right-arrow button, all framed within a rounded game screen.

Toyota, the world’s biggest carmaker, is using retro-style video games to rally its US workforce behind its corporate goals, including lobbying to relax environmental rules, the Guardian can reveal.

Through an internal platform called Toyota Policy Drivers, employees can play games with names such as Star Quest, Adventure Quest and Dragon Quest, earning prizes by engaging with company messaging about policy and by contacting federal lawmakers using company-provided talking points.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
George Clooney ‘planning to open Italian restaurant in France’
The Oscar-winning actor is said to be preparing to open the eaterie near the Provençal estate where his family have established their home in France.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
“Is Picking Your Nose Actually Bad For You? Human Anatomy Reveals A Surprisingly Nuanced Answer
Picking your nose might help you breathe more easily, but an anatomy video shows why scratching one particular area may be more dangerous than it appears.
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Cigarette Smoke Reprogrammed Lung Stem Cells in Lab Models and Helped Steer Which Lung Cancer Type Formed
A Johns Hopkins lab study found that cigarette smoke primed lung stem cells for specific cancer types. What it shows and what it does not prove.
Medical Daily
Medical Daily
That Cute Squishy Toy Contains Water Beads — CPSC Says Stop Using It
A colorful squishy toy that looks like an innocent stress reliever may hide something parents cannot see: expandable water beads. About 37,000 Squishy Dumpling and Crazy Squib Ball toys were recalled on October 1 after regulators determined that their water beads could expand beyond federal limits and create a potentially…
Kids Ain't Cheap
Kids Ain't Cheap
103-year-old World War II veteran still runs a basement bar in Maryland that would be illegal to open today
At 103, World War II veteran Irvin Koch is still behind the counter at Irv’s Basement Bar in Maryland, a watering hole he has run since 1963. But there is a surprising reason his unusual home-based bar has survived for more than six decades: modern zoning rules would make it…
The Economic Times
The Economic Times
Travis Barker hospitalised
Travis Barker has shared photos from hospital, where his wife, Kourtney Kardashian, and daughter, Alabama Barker, were by his side.
BANG Premier
BANG Premier
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play