WHO and Goodville , a free-to play mobile farm game adventure app, mark their third year of collaboration by unveiling a new development: Sarah, a smart AI resource assistant for health . As a new in-game character, Sarah is designed to help players better understand their health and wellbeing while offering expert, actionable tips based on WHO guidelines for physical and mental self-care. Players can interact with Sarah directly through in-game chat, seamlessly integrated into the gameplay.
Collaboration between WHO and Goodville began in 2022 with introduction of Florence, WHO's first virtual assistant in the game. Since then, 1.5 million players have engaged with Florence, and over 930 000 players have completed a dedicated quest line. These guided interactions help players assess their emotional states and receive tips for improving mental and physical health, including guidance on quitting smoking. On average, Goodville records 2 500 daily interactions with its virtual health assistants.
"I would like to commend you and the team," said Jenny Craine, Goodville player. "This is a very attractive addition to gameplay."
"The app has actually educated me and helped me be more self-aware," said Amanda Zhao, Goodville player. "Thanks Goodville team and WHO, interesting move, I keep waiting for more."
Leveraging reach, creativity and engagement of interactive entertainment media, such as video games, allows WHO to reach people where they are in their digital journeys with accurate and actionable health information, so that they can make better health decisions for themselves and their for their families.
"We welcome efforts by the video game companies, such as Goodville, to encourage their large online communities to take the necessary steps for better health and wellbeing," said Andy Pattison, Team Lead of Digital Channels at the World Health Organization. "We need to continue to reach people with science-based, trustworthy health information where they are, in the palms of their hands."
WHO and Goodville remain committed to exploring the intersection of video games and health, paving the way for innovative approaches to health and wellbeing in interactive entertainment.
"Video games hold incredible potential to make a positive difference in people's lives, with mental wellbeing playing a vital role in overall health," said Alexey Meleshkevich, CEO of Goodville AG. "Our ongoing collaboration with WHO has been instrumental in helping Goodville fulfil its mission of supporting emotional resilience and mental health for players worldwide. This meaningful collaboration has already enabled us to reach and support over 1.5 million people through engaging in-game mechanics and psychological tools. We are excited to deepen this collaboration, leveraging WHO's expertise to expand our impact even further in the coming year, bringing meaningful support to even more players around the world."
