CLIMATE scientists from the University of Reading have contributed to an immersive experience which puts gamers face-to-face with the changing planet.
Scientists helped transform complex climate data for the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2 experience Climate Station, which launched this week.
Developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the free experiences uses the latest in gaming technology to allow players to view, interact with, and understand climate data.
Professors Ed Hawkins, Andrew Charlton-Perez, Richard Allan, Bill Collins, and Andy Turner worked with developers at Sony Interactive to translate complex climate research and create an experience where players can easily understand the impacts of climate change.
The climate stripes, developed by Professor Ed Hawkins at the University of Reading, are used throughout the application to illustrate how fast the world is warming.
Sony Interactive’s Climate Station leverages innovations from the PS5 and PS VR2 to provide an immersive experience for audiences as they discover their own climate story through three key acts: Weather Year, Observations, Projections.
Weather Year features a visual timelapse showing Earth’s weather patterns, storms, and climate events throughout a full year.
Observations is an interactive tool using IPCC data to explore over a century of climate change through a 3D globe with temperature indicators and global tracking of key metrics like CO₂, sea ice, and sea level rise.
Projections explores five potential climate futures based on different emission scenarios using IPCC models, showing how temperature rises and impacts vary depending on the choices we make today.
An Explainer Library also features around 90 minutes of content that demystifies climate change concepts, voiced by Meteorologist & TV Weather Presenter Laura Tobin, a University of Reading Meteorology graduate.
Professor Andrew Charlton-Perez, University of Reading, said: “Gaming reaches millions of people who might never interact with climate science. Graphs and data can feel overwhelming and abstract, but the science becomes real and personal when you can zoom into a hurricane forming or watch sea ice disappear before your eyes.
“University of Reading climate scientists brought decades of research expertise to ensure every detail is scientifically accurate.
“If we can help people understand the science through this experience, they’ll be better equipped to make decisions about our planet’s future.”
Climate Station will also be available to play at the University of Reading’s Open Day on Saturday, June 21, which is also Show Your Stripes Day.
