A Kingston-area video game studio has won a global competition for developing a game about participatory democracy.
Polyvale Studios captured the grand prize in the international “Citizens, Assemble!” contest for its game Diem, topping more than 50 studios from around the world. The win includes a US$10,000 award, along with a bonus prize for Best Aesthetics.
“We wanted to make something fresh and new: a ‘cozy democracy simulator,’” said writer and developer Aric McBay. “Our hope is that Diem will get people thinking about how we can come together to create shared visions for real change.”
The contest, run by One World or None and the Global Game Jam, aims to promote awareness of citizens’ assemblies — decision-making bodies that bring together randomly selected residents to help shape public policy. Past assemblies in countries such as Ireland have led to major reforms, including the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Judges, including musician and activist Brian Eno, praised Diem for “thoughtful design, storytelling, and music” that created “a warm, reflective game about collaboration and hope.” The game focuses on climate action as its central issue.
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“Citizens’ assemblies are an incredible way for citizens of all kinds to directly participate in democratic decision making, which feels critical now with long-standing democracies at risk,” said voice actor and editor Leslie McBay. “Games like Diem give everyone the opportunity to learn and engage.”
Composer and sound designer Winnie Liu said the team aimed to make a complex system approachable. “Turning a complicated system into simple, engaging gameplay is a smart way to explore possibilities.”
Polyvale Studios is part of a peer accelerator run by the Baby Ghosts Studio Development Fund, a non-profit that supports worker-owned and worker-centric studios.
“Polyvale has done a wonderful job of making their values tangible as a studio,” said Baby Ghosts co-founder Dr. Eileen Mary Holowka. “The success of Diem and Polyvale’s other work demonstrates the need for more socially impactful work within the games industry.”
Diem is free to play in-browser at polyvale.org.
