Skip to main content

A game to change perceptions

Client
Hydro-Québec
Industry
Health & Education
Category
Website
Ref
PHM-0524
Play video Play video Play video Play video
Play video

Mandate

Serving close to 4 million clients with its clean renewable energy, Hydro-Québec is a Crown corporation and public utility based in the province of Quebec. Facing the challenges of the energy transition, Hydro-Québec needs to increase its electricity production by 9,000 megawatts by 2035 (an increase of 30%). This is an ambitious but controversial goal.

Plans for new wind and nuclear facilities have already faced public backlash. The challenge now is to show people what’s at stake and empower them to be part of the solution. The answer? A game. With the Hydro-Québec team, we launched a SimCity-like experience that delivered remarkable results: It transformed a controversial subject into a clear, understandable challenge and generated meaningful engagement from the public.

Visit website

Results

  • 52%

    of users finished the game

  • 75%

    of surveyed users said the game helped them understand the compromises Hydro-Québec needs to make

  • +50%

    of them agreed that the mix proposed by Hydro-Québec is the best

With only a social media campaign to support its launch, the project demanded a self-sustaining approach. To attract users, we developed an engaging, rich 3D world, drawing inspiration from games such as SimCity, so that a mere screenshot would catch the user’s attention.

Creating a unique feel

Using 3D was a first for the brand, so we began by defining an art direction that would align with Hydro-Québec’s global look and feel. Once the direction was established, we modelled the buildings on real-life installations using Blender, then textured and rendered them with Octane, creating a unique universe seemingly sculpted out of plastic

Hydro-Québec serves everyone and must maintain a high accessibility standard (WCAG AA 2.2). Sugg: We therefore ensured compliance throughout the entire development process. Through step-by-step onboarding and integrated accessibility tools, we delivered a result that isn’t only visually appealing and engaging, but also usable by design.

The game challenges users to reach a 9,000 MW energy production target by adding new energy sources. Each source presents a unique set of pros and cons, requiring users to balance greenhouse gas emissions, costs and reliability. This interactive approach allows users to learn about diverse energy sources and grasp the complexities of energy production.

Upon reaching the goal, users can compare their energy mix with Hydro-Québec’s, highlighting the company’s strategic compromises and providing valuable data on public energy source preferences. Given that the majority of surveyed users agreed that Hydro-Québec’s solution was optimal, we can say that ours was too.

Our role on the project

Strategy & Business

  • Content Architecture and Strategy
  • Project Management

Technology

  • Automated and manual QA
  • Accessibility (WCAG compliance)
  • Full stack mobile & web development
  • Nuxt.js
  • AWS
  • CraftCMS
  • Pixi.js (WebGL)
  • GSAP

Design

  • UI Design
  • Motion Design
  • UX Design
  • Content design and copywriting

More work

View all work