MCV/DEVELOP News, events, research and jobs from the games industry
Games are for everyone these days, and that now extends to the Pine Hoverfly it seems. With publisher Marvelous choosing to support the Royal Zoological Society Scotland (RZSS) in its conservation campaign to save the hoverfly – one of the UK’s rarest species.
To that end Mavelous is donating £20,000 to help build new facilities at the Highland Wildlife Park, where the hoverfly can be reared and mate, allowing the fly to come back from the edge of extinction – this important pollinator hasn’t been seen in the wild for seven years now.
It’s an unusual move for a games publisher, but it makes sense when you consider that Marvelous recently launched farming title Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, and see the effort as one that ties in nicely with the game’s message of environmental care.
Further to that and to help promote the initiative, Marvelous and Decibel PR organised a seed growing competition within the industry. With the growers competing to germinate the biggest seedlings and track their process on #SoSPoOT and #PineHoverfly. Participants also named teh hoverflies that were being reared.
The winner of that was Ian Dransfield Features Editor of Wireframe Magazine who clocked up 11.5cm on his Spring Onions! But well done all for taking part and further promoting the plight of the hoverfly.
The story even reached BBC News, which is a great outcome for the hoverfly and all involved.
