New video game, produced in Guatemala, provides important lessons about sustainability.

Matawan, NJ -- (ReleaseWire) -- 05/28/2014 --The movement to become more environmentally responsible and create a sustainable society has taken root all over the world. Most experts agree that this will be a gradual process with future generations becoming more accountable for this change.

Thus education and involvement of today’s youth is a critical component for a sustainable future. Could there be a better way to engage children than through a new video game?

Probably not. That’s the strategy behind Gaia Town (http://www.gaiatown.com), an environmental education game for children. Gaia Town is being produced by Mas Digital, a Guatemalan gaming company.

“Our planet is on a dangerous course and it’s extremely important to make a change now,” said Antonio Carias, COO of Mas Digital. “Gaia Town is a game in which you can help our troubled planet by building your own town from scratch.

“This environmental game educates through short lessons and reinforces through game play the importance of things like recycling, reducing carbon emissions, fire safety, organic food sources, energy solutions and more.”

The first step in playing the game is creating a personalized town. Gaia Town then guides each player through different activities like picking up trash, recycling, harvesting crops and other unique pursuits that will determine the course of the town.

Each town can be viewed in rotating 3D, allowing players to check every building, street and angle. The goal is to increase the size of the town – but in a sustainable way.

With complex game strategies, colorful and engaging graphics, and sophisticated functionality, this educational game requires many hours of work as well as intricate, multi-functional software. Carias estimates that $200,000 will be needed to fund the project.

He has launched a Kickstarter campaign, which can be viewed at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/933524150/gaiatown-the-fun-game-to-save-the-planet. Donations of any amount are welcome.

The goal of Carias’s Kickstarter project is to be able to release GaiaTown in September 2014. The funds will support the work needed to finish the game and publish on iTunes and Google Play. Carias would also like to expand the story, create new mini-games, add more avatars, broaden the city catalog, enhance the graphics, add other languages and so much more!

With your help, we can raise a generation of kids that understands how our planet works, realizes the challenges it is facing, and is prepared to create a better future.

Depending on their donation levels, backers can receive copies of the game, the Gaia Town soundtrack, their own avatar in the game and other perks.

“While Gaia Town is an engaging and entertaining game, the goal is to educate our children,” said Carias. “It will raise awareness about the state of our planet and provide support to solve global problems like climate change and pollution.”

For further information, visit http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/933524150/gaiatown-the-fun-game-to-save-the-planet; the Gaia Town website, http://www.gaiatown.com; or the Gaia Town Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gaia-Town/445242475590338?ref=hl.

Carias can be reached directly at info@gaiatown.com.