The game is called INFRA—the action is set in a city where corruption in the private and public sectors has left the city on the brink of collapse.
John Metcalfe introduces the idea behind the "INFRA" video game:
"OK, so the premise isn’t as action-packed as swinging across a floating, racist city in 'Bioshock Infinite' or no-scoping ultranationalist terrorists in 'Modern Warfare 3.' But INFRA has the power of realism on its side. Given the crappy state of a lot of the world’s infrastructure, who can’t relate to the fear of being crushed by an old bridge or barbecued by an exploding gas line?"
According to Metcalfe's coverage, Loiste Interactive’s Oskari Samiola was inspired to make the game after watching the The Crumbling of America documentary. The article describes more about how the game combines the "unsexy" conversation about infrastructure with the exciting requirements of game play.
The trailer for the game also shows how the game positions the concerns of infrastructure at the center of an adrenaline-pumping adventure.
FULL STORY: Who Knew a Video Game About Infrastructure Could Look So Cool?
City-Building Video Games for Planners
Hopefully you got one of these games as a gift today. If not, don’t worry. There are a lot of other occasions to celebrate—maybe try the day after Christmas?
A NIMBY Simulator Pokes Fun at All-Too-Real Issues
A classic game gets a sardonic update for the modern world.
Friday Fun: CityLab Picks the Best Games of 2020
In the year of stay-at-home orders, people turned to old and new games to stay sane and stay connected.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
‘Complete Streets’ Webpage Deleted in Federal Purge
Basic resources and information on building bike lanes and sidewalks, formerly housed on the government’s Complete Streets website, are now gone.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Ratepayers Could Be on the Hook for Data Centers’ Energy Use
Without regulatory changes, data centers’ high demand for energy would be subsidized by taxpayers, according to a new study.
City Nature Challenge: Explore, Document, and Protect Urban Biodiversity
The City Nature Challenge is a global community science event where participants use the iNaturalist app to document urban biodiversity, contributing valuable data to support conservation and scientific research.
A Lone Voice for Climate: How The Wild Robot Stands Apart in Hollywood
Among this year’s Oscar-nominated films, only The Wild Robot passed the Climate Reality Check, a test measuring climate change representation in storytelling, highlighting the ongoing lack of climate awareness in mainstream Hollywood films.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research