The world’s first global COVID-19 vaccine awareness game is published in the Apple and Google mobile application stores – in collaboration with WHO

Psyon Games - a Finnish game startup specializing in science and health games - has developed a mobile game Antidote COVID-19. The game is being launched globally with a gamified health campaign designed to increase public awareness about the coronavirus, vaccinations and other preventative actions in a fun and entertaining way. The campaign is titled “I am the Shield” and the launch is carried out in collaboration with the UN’s World Health Organization WHO, the Vaccine Alliance GAVI, and UNICEF Finland. The game is an example of distributing health information via entertainment - another strategy to defeat the pandemic. The game is available free of charge on iOS AppStore and on Google Play Store for Android.

Psyon Games has been awarded for their games repeatedly. The company started to pursue Antidote COVID-19 because it has been validated that mobile games can reach target groups beyond the reach of traditional health awareness methods.

“Despite the fact that vaccination rates are on the rise globally, there are also alarming signs of vaccine related passivity especially among the youth. It doesn’t seem to be a matter of active resistance but rather a belief that getting vaccinated against COVID-19 is somehow unnecessary. However the reality is that we need everybody on board to put a stop to this pandemic and to return to normal”, says Olli Rundgren, the CEO of Psyon Games.

WHO Supporting the Launch

The launch of the game and the campaign is supported by the UN's World Health Organization WHO. The organization has granted Psyon Games the permission to WHO logo use within the game. This is a significant gesture of support as the WHO is extremely selective about who they will publicly back up. The WHO has also contributed to the creation of the game’s information content and checked its validity.

“Globally, including in countries where COVID-19 vaccines are widely available, misinformation is hindering vaccine acceptance and broader public health efforts,” says Andy Pattison, Team Lead, Digital Channels at the World Health Organization. “Games like the Antidote COVID-19 can help people digest complex scientific information about the virus while building up their resistance to misinformation on COVID-19 protective measures like masks and vaccines in engaging ways, in the palms of their hands.”

Psyon Games has defined the goals of the Antidote COVID-19 game and the #iamtheshield campaign together with WHO. The goals are awareness about COVID-19, the related vaccinations and other preventative measures.

“The Antidote is an artistically unique way to communicate the importance and urgency of taking preventative actions against COVID-19 to help stop the spread of the disease,” says Pattison. “The game and the campaign are designed in a way to help people digest complex scientific information and build resistance against misinformation on COVID-19 vaccines and masks in an engaging way from the palm of their hand. It also aligns with WHO’s strategic objectives to reach people where they are, through channels they enjoy.”

“It’s fantastic to have WHO supporting us in spreading these important messages utilizing games. We also wish others will join us in becoming the shield against this virus. The support of health officials and anyone else interested in the topic worldwide is now of maximum importance to us in suppressing this pandemic. We also believe in the power of masses. The slogan for the game and the campaign is “I am the shield”. By this we mean two things. Firstly, that each individual decision to get vaccinated is a crucial part of building the global shield that is herd immunity. Secondly, discovering and understanding the facts from reliable sources shields us from false information”, Rundgren says.

More information:

Current COVID-19 vaccination rollout and the state of the pandemic by country:
https://graphics.reuters.com/world-coronavirus-tracker-and-maps/vaccination-rollout-and-access/
Game trailer: https://youtu.be/aYUSqwDxw7A 
Campaign trailer: https://youtu.be/pt1PseEvKnM 
Campaign website: https://iamtheshield.com/ 

Download the game here
iOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/antidote-covid-19/id1570034424
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.psyongames.antidote2

Olli Rundgren
CEO
Psyon Games
+358442788515
[email protected]

Valtteri Lahti
COO
Psyon Games
+358405749006
[email protected]

WHO interview by request via Psyon Games

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Inspiration through the TV animation classic Once Upon a Time… Life

Psyon Games began developing the Antidote game for vaccine awareness in 2016 long before the pandemic. During the pandemic a new version of the game (Antidote COVID-19) was developed to fend off the pandemic.

VaccinesToday: Serious gamers have Coronavirus ‘Antidote’ in their sights https://www.vaccinestoday.eu/stories/serious-gamers-have-coronavirus-antidote-in-their-sights/

In the Antidote COVID-19 game the player is a heroic researcher that controls the immune system cells to defeat the coronavirus and other pathogens. They gather research points to develop vaccines, which are the only way to end the global pandemic.

“In my childhood, I was inspired by the 90’s kids’ favorite TV animation classic Once Upon a Time… Life. The show used to discuss many complex topics about the human body and health but in an easily understandable and interesting way. I believe this methodology is good in spreading complex information in comprehensible bite sizes in today’s world, too”, says the Psyon Games CEO Olli Rundgren.

The potential of gamers

Mobile games are a great way to increase awareness about health and science topics, because the global number of mobile gamers is huge, estimated at 2.8 billion. Mobile games also reach people of different ages and genders. For example, 60% of the population play mobile games in the US. Games are engaging, interactive and they can be used to increase awareness in fun and entertaining ways. 
Source: https://newzoo.com/insights/trend-reports/newzoo-global-games-market-report-2021-free-version/

Analyzing the performance of the previous version of Antidote, Psyon Games learned that the game engaged players for a time forty times as long as the average time spent on health information websites about similar topics. https://iamtheshield.com/the-power-of-gamified-information-and-how-to-use-it-to-defeat-the-covid-19-pandemic/

Psyon Games awards

Psyon Games has been awarded for their health and science games. For example, the original Antidote game, on which Antidote COVID-19 is based, won the Applied Game of the Year award by the Finnish game industry. Psyon Games has also won the Health Startup of the Year award in the EyeForPharma event by Reuters Events.

In March 2021 the company also published a story driven game FULL ADHD which takes the player to the everyday life of an ADHD person. For the moment the game is only available in Finland.