emergenCITY is testing a prototype for a second serious game in collaboration with the Darmstadt-based agency quäntchen + glück
A power outage, a city in a state of emergency, and an energy-self-sufficient house: eHUB cities:Blackout is the prototype for a second serious game centered on the topic of digital city resilience, which emergenCITY is currently developing. Unlike Krisopolis, it focuses less on crisis preparedness and more on a specific crisis scenario: Players take on the role of the protagonist, Jan, and are confronted with a city-wide and longlasting power outage in the eHUB, an energy-self-sufficient smart home. As an eHUB resident, it is now their task to organize and responsibly manage limited resources not only for themselves but also for the neighborhood.
In this story-based game, every decision influences social relationships, trust within the community, and the future of the player’s own avatar. It builds on various emergenCITY research on long-lasting power outages and eHUBs as a possible answer for better crisis management.
But how convincingly does this combination of crisis scenario, resource management, and narrative decision-making structure come across in the actual gameplay experience?
This is precisely what emergenCITY has now investigated in initial game tests in collaboration with Isabelle Rinne and Lena Müller from the Darmstadt-based agency quäntchen + glück. A selection of volunteers tested eHUB cities: Blackout and provided feedback on the story, the state of development, and the overall gaming experience.
The test participants praised the attention to detail in the design as well as the immersive, atmospheric game world. The ability to explore the eHUB on their own, the harmonious lighting, and the graphic design were particularly well-received. The story behind the crisis scenario also earned positive feedback.
At the same time, it became apparent that the sheer volume of tasks and information initially overwhelmed some test players. The various functions of the eHUB and their significance for crisis management were not always immediately understandable in the current version of the game. Opportunities for optimization lie particularly in providing additional explanations and a step-by-step introduction to the game mechanics, in order to make the necessary prioritization more transparent and clear.
Overall, eHUB cities: Blackout offers a promising foundation with the potential to expose players to realistic crisis situations and thereby strengthen their ability to respond effectively to disasters. Now that the game is being further optimized by the developer based on the insightful feedback. A release is planned in 2026.
Project website:https://ehubcities.de/ Wishlist Game on Steam
