Wicked Saints Studios today launched its new interactive story game World Reborn, in which players use in-game “training mods” to identify their core strengths and apply them to real-life scenarios in order to progress in the game. As part of the launch, the studio has partnered with several other companies, including social platform Discord, to launch their own in-game training mods aimed towards advancing certain positive social impacts. World Reborn launches in an 8-week limited run starting today.
World Reborn features a choice-driven narrative, built similarly to a visual novel. However, in order to progress the game and complete the story, players must complete various tasks in the real world — for example, picking up trash at a local park or leaving a friend an encouraging note. Doing so earns Energy, which can be used in-game to make choices.
GamesBeat spoke with Jessica Murrey, Wicked Saints’ CEO and co-founder, about World Reborn’s mandate as a game. She said, “With most video games, you play, you feel great playing, and you stop playing — then reality comes crashing back down. And so we asked ourselves: Could we create a game where all the power that they gain within the game, they actually get to keep with them? So they actually become more confident in themselves and their abilities, their relationships start to improve, and they actually go out and build a better world?”
Discord and World Reborn aim to help Gen Z
As part of the companies’ partnership, Discord has launched a training mod starring Twitch streamer Natalie Rose, which is centered around teen mental health. Discord has previously penned a Teen Charter, created with the help of teenagers and representing the expectations that young people have the platform. The World Reborn Discord training mod aims to help teenagers “be theirauthentic selves, form real friendships, and introduces them to Discord’s tools and resourcesfor a safe and positive experience on the platform,” according to Discord senior director of policy Savannah Badalich.
GamesBeat spoke with Badalich about the mod, and why they chose this particular topic. “We really want to invest in people that are building games that really support skill-building for young people. So we’ve been working with pro-social game organizations, and we now are working with Wicked Saints. And one of the things we thought about was that we want to talk about these important topics. What better way than to do it through a game?”
Wicked Saints also has a World Reborn Discord for players to join in order to communicate and improve their skills together. Other partners who have created training mods for the game including e.l.f. Beauty, which is focused on supporting women’s sports; and the Starlight Children’s Foundation, which is focused on helping support and entertain children in hospitals.
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