In an announcement different from their usual ones around video games, Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced the release of Climate Station, a free educational application for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2 that uses gaming innovations to engage players with the science behind climate change. Developed as part of SIE’s ongoing commitment to the United Nations’ Playing for the Planet Alliance, the initiative aims to make complex environmental data more accessible through interactive media.
Climate Station presents the story of climate change through a three-part narrative experience, featuring immersive visuals and interactive data exploration. The project is designed for home use but is also suited for educational and research settings, functioning as a scientific tool to better understand our changing planet.
The application is divided into three main sections:
- Weather Year introduces players to Earth’s interconnected weather systems through a visual reconstruction of meteorological events from 2019.
- Observations explores 120 years of climate data, including global temperature records and indicators of long-term warming trends.
- Projections uses models endorsed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to illustrate how current and future decisions may influence global climate outcomes up to the end of the 21st century.
Additionally, an Explainer Library includes 90 minutes of multimedia content that breaks down the science behind climate change in an accessible format.
The climate data featured in the application is sourced from leading institutions such as NASA, NOAA, Berkeley Earth, the Climate Research Unit, and the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). Meteorologist and television presenter Laura Tobin served as a consultant on the project and narrates its video segments.
Reflecting on her involvement in the project, Tobin shared:
As a meteorologist, I report on weather and climate and over the last 20 years I’ve seen the increased frequency and intensity of severe weather around the world. More and more records are being broken, often in remote parts of the globe but in recent years it’s hitting closer to home. I’m immensely proud of our collaboration on Climate Station. We want audiences to learn more about our amazing planet, use the latest science to see what is really happening, and finally have a greater understanding and appreciation of why change is needed.
Susan Gardner, Director of the Ecosystems Division at the United Nations Environment Programme, praised the initiative, sharing:
Bringing climate awareness into the homes of millions through gaming will help build both knowledge and action to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. The approach to adapt the science into a game format has been impressive. We look forward to seeing how players react to this new tool and also recognise the leadership of Sony Interactive Entertainment in bringing climate science to consoles across the planet.
