A new, free online game is offering players a unique and sobering glimpse into the potential realities of life in 2100. The game, titled FutureGuessr, challenges players to navigate and identify locations in a world dramatically reshaped by climate change. Through immersive, AI-generated landscapes, the game aims to transform abstract climate projections into a visceral, visual experience, making the distant future feel immediate and personal. The game presents players with 360-degree panoramic images and asks them to pinpoint the location on a world map, in a format similar to the popular geography game GeoGuessr.
Launched in June 2025, FutureGuessr is more than just a game; it is a novel form of climate communication designed to engage a broad audience in a meaningful way. By combining gameplay with stark, science-based imagery, the game’s creators hope to foster a deeper understanding of the choices humanity faces. Each round presents two potential futures for the same location: a catastrophic vision of what could happen with a 2.7°C temperature increase, and a more resilient outcome if significant climate action is taken. This duality underscores the agency that still exists in shaping the world of tomorrow. The game is a collaborative effort between creative studio Artefact 3000 and the climate coalition Réseau Action Climat, and is available in both English and French.
An Interactive Crystal Ball
FutureGuessr’s gameplay is straightforward yet thought-provoking. Players are dropped into an AI-generated scene depicting a familiar or unfamiliar landscape as it might appear in 2100. These are not random artistic renderings; they are meticulously crafted visuals based on scientific data. A bespoke AI model combines maps, photographs of present-day locations, and projections from reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to create these startlingly realistic future scenes. Players might find themselves surrounded by submerged coastlines, melted ice caps, or rainforests that have turned into savannas. After making a guess on the world map, the game reveals the correct location and provides information about the climate change consequences for that specific area, detailing what will happen if no action is taken and how a different path is still possible.
The Science of FutureScapes
The scientific integrity of FutureGuessr is central to its mission. The game’s visuals are grounded in the extensive research and data compiled by the IPCC, the United Nations body responsible for assessing the science related to climate change. This ensures that the scenarios presented to players, while alarming, are not products of science fiction but are plausible futures based on current climate trajectories. Research on visual climate communication has shown that images of climate impacts, such as extreme weather and flooding, are particularly effective at moving people, especially when the impacts are localized. FutureGuessr leverages this by showing the future of recognizable places, aiming to build a stronger, more personal connection to the issue of climate change and, in turn, build support for climate action.
A New Frontier in Climate Education
FutureGuessr is part of a growing movement that utilizes games and interactive experiences for climate education and communication. These tools are seen as a way to reach diverse audiences and discuss climate change in ways that are serious yet engaging. Other examples in this space include the cooperative board game Daybreak, where players work together to stop climate change, and the online story-based game Game Changers, which generates conversations on climate action through an innovative visual game world. In-person workshops like the Climate Fresk have already connected millions of people with IPCC science, demonstrating a clear appetite for interactive and collaborative learning experiences. These games and workshops provide a platform for people to learn, discuss, and even critique issues like corporate power and greenwashing, all while participating in an enjoyable activity.
From Pixels to Policy
The release of FutureGuessr comes at a critical juncture, as some governments are observed to be softening their climate targets and rolling back previous commitments. In a world of shortening attention spans and increasing eco-anxiety, games like FutureGuessr offer a novel way to cut through the noise. By framing the climate crisis in a playful, interactive context, the game’s creators hope to engage individuals who may not be reached by traditional news reports or scientific papers. The “less preaching, more playing” approach has the potential to make the abstract concept of climate change more tangible and to motivate a new wave of climate-conscious citizens. The game’s design also lends itself to being shared and discussed on social media platforms like Twitch, TikTok, and YouTube, further extending its reach and impact.
The Power of Visualization
While photographs of the future do not exist, FutureGuessr’s AI-generated images offer the next best thing. By providing a visual representation of how familiar landscapes will look in 2100 as a result of climate change, the game makes the consequences of inaction feel more real and urgent. The contrast between the catastrophic and resilient scenarios in each round is a powerful narrative device, emphasizing that the future is not yet written and that the choices made today will determine the world our children and grandchildren inherit. This visual storytelling can be a potent tool for inspiring both individual and collective action, encouraging players to think critically about the kind of future they want to help create.
