Eco (2018 video game)

survival game that allows players to interact with both the world and each other. The game pushes players to reenact a sustainable lifestyle. Players have to care about a balanced nutrition and need to control the gathering of natural resources, otherwise negatively harming or destroying the environment.^[2] For example, cutting too many trees reduces the amount of air pollution that can be mitigated, and creating too much pollution by using high tech machines can raise the sea level and species of plants or animals can become extinct if players harvest or hunt too much of them. In order to prevent this from happening players have to create a working society. They have the possibility to create currencies and establish an economy for trading, form a government and propose and vote on laws that can restrict what other players can do or give incentives to (not) do things by applying taxes or government grants to specific actions.^[3] Unlike other survival games, Eco does not have any combat between players or monsters, and there is no way for the player's character to die. It also encourages players to actively collaborate and work together with other players.^[4]

US$900,000 for a two year development contract.^[6] Strange Loop Games had previously only produced two games: the logic game Vessel and the serious game

EVE Online.^[7]

Kickstarter, in order to further extend the game.^[8] The campaign was successful, raising more than $200,000. A release date of September 2015 was targeted. It was eventually released in February 2018 as early access

Rock, Paper, Shotgun described the game as a "pretty Minecraft", and emphasized that survival games usually promote a heedless exploitation of resources, while the players actions in Eco has consequences that need to be thought of.^[10]