Ecosfera Baltica

Coming soon!

An innovative game where players team up to save the Baltic Sea

Available both as a traditional board game and a free interactive online version, Ecosfera Baltica is set in the unique and vulnerable environment of the Baltic Sea. It challenges players to collaborate, strategise and take action to secure a healthy marine ecosystem, all while having fun!

About Ecosfera Baltica

Rooted in science and inspired by the findings of HELCOM’s State of the Baltic Sea 2023 report, the game encourages players to broaden their understanding of ecological principles, marine species and habitats and most importantly: the value of cooperation.

Sustainably produced and designed with enhanced accessibility in mind, including being colour vision impaired -friendly and largely language-independent, the game is suitable for ages 8 and up.  The rule book is available in English, Finnish, Swedish, Danish, Estonian, German, Russian and Lithuanian, with more translations to come.   

Aim of the game

By working together with the other players to secure the right combinations of elements, you can create a healthy environment for plants and algae, which in turn provides living space for animals. When enough animals that share the same habitat come together, you restore that habitat! The goal is to restore all six habitats before accumulating too many pressures from human activities that threaten the ecosystem.

Difficulty levels

The game offers several levels of difficulty and two levels of complexity, allowing for diverse gameplay experiences. The basic game focuses on the interaction between biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem, the food web and the role of biodiversity in resilience, as well as the effect of human activities on the Baltic Sea. The more advanced version introduces more multifaceted issues, such as the effects of stochastic events, pressures and impacts on the ecosystem. Most importantly, it highlights the importance of taking measures to mitigate negative effects of human activities at sea.

Language options

The basic version of the game largely language-independent, and accessibility has been considered throughout its development, including the use of shapes, symbols and colours. The rulebook will be available in all Baltic Sea languages as online downloads. The additional cards included in the more complex version of the game (the policy or expansion pack) are available in English for the printed game, but are also included in national languages in the digital version of the game.

Who is behind the game?

Ecosfera Baltica has been developed by the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM) and Julibert Games, with a free digital version created in cooperation with Reaktor. The project is funded by the Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation.

Links

Ecosfera Baltica: A game to save the Baltic Sea
Where did the idea for Ecosfera Baltica game come from? An interview with Jannica Haldin and Owen Rowe

Contact

Jannica Haldin
jannica.haldin@helcom.fi
+358 40 485 5905

Eeva Nyyssönen
eeva.nyyssonen@helcom.fi
+358 40 6473996