Balance of the Planet

Lore & Background

Chris Crawford was approached in early 1989 by Epyx's Joe Miller to create an environmental game tied to the film Voice of the Planet for Earth Day 1990. Though wary of licensed games, Crawford developed a design exploring intricate connections between ecological and economic factors. He created a hypertext system to house the game and was forced to place a value on human life to set parameters, acknowledging that any value-based decision would invite accusations of bias. He designed the title as a serious, educational game, not necessarily fun, and self-published it in April 1990. Incredible Technologies handled the MS-DOS port.

Reader's Guide

Balance of the Planet is significant as an early example of a serious game tackling complex global issues. Its procedural system with limited user interaction challenged players to consider the runoff effects of policy changes, such as how clearing forests affects CO2 levels and global warming. Reception was mixed: Chris Lombardi of Computer Gaming World respected Crawford's convictions but noted the game was not fun. The Games Machine recommended it for schools due to its educational value. Brian Walker of Games International praised its tone and gave it 8/10 for gameplay and graphics. Macworld criticized its uninteresting interface and trial-and-error tedium. Compute! called it a challenging, intellectual puzzle. Environmental History Review appreciated its challenge to simple solutions. Ian Bogost later called it sophisticated and expressive. A 2012 Kickstarter for a remake failed, raising only $13,594 of a $150,000 goal.

Did You Know?

• Chris Crawford was approached by Epyx's Joe Miller in early 1989 to work on an environmental game tied to the film Voice of the Planet.
• Crawford was forced to place a value on human life to set game parameters, acknowledging he would be accused of bias regardless of his choices.
• The game was ported to MS-DOS by Incredible Technologies.
• A 2012 Kickstarter for a remake raised only $13,594 of a $150,000 goal and was described by Crawford as a dismal failure.