Misinformer teaches players how journalism actually works

Ever wondered how a journalist works to verify someone’s claims and determine what’s real news? Well, the ones at Point want to make a game about just that.

In the mobile game Misinformer, players will use the investigative tools of a journalist to solve cases based on current events. Point, a startup producing investigative journalism documentaries on YouTube, wants to provide people with an opportunity learn more about how their trade actually works. It has begun a Kickstarter to fund the project and is seeking £18,500 ($23,076) in seed money to build the game.

Misinformer’s storylines will incorporate reporting from Point’s real-world stories. As players investigate these events, they’ll employ tools used by journalists to parse fact from fiction and crack the case. Once the game launches, after Point’s journalists publish their reports script writers for Misinformer will take key elements from them and write new storylines for the game.

The ambitious concept explores the potential overlap between video games and journalism. Some publications, like the New York Times, have developed interactive, gamelike experiences educate readers about issues like voter suppression, the possibilities of connecting video games to journalism have been relatively unexplored.

Misinformer is also a game charged with a social mission. Point wants to teach players about “fake news” at a time in which social media sites continue to circulate large amounts of it every day.