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Ecoesione: at PLAY 2025 in Bologna, the sustainability board game born in Pisa
Ecoesione, the strategic board game that tackles the themes of sustainability and climate justice, was developed by a group of researchers from the University of Pisa in collaboration with the game designers of the Golem’s Lab association in Bologna. It will debut at PLAY 2025 — Italy’s most important board game event — with the support of the Game Science Research Center at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca.
Ecoesione is a complete and thought-provoking game, produced by Ecoesione srl, a startup committed to supporting ecological and social transformation through social innovation. Developed through the collaboration between ecological economists from the University of Pisa (Department of Economics and Management) and game designers from the Golem’s Lab association in Bologna, the game invites players to reflect on the responsible use of natural resources. It offers a rich and accessible gaming experience for both seasoned players and those new to board games.
Through a variety of game mechanics and three different formats (boxed game, card game, and roll & write), players take on the challenge of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals while avoiding the overuse of fossil resources.
The Ecohesion collective is a research group within the Department of Economics and Management at the University of Pisa. It focuses on the interactions between climate policies, economic transformations, and redistributive mechanisms. With a systemic and multidisciplinary approach that integrates economics, social sciences, and environmental policy, the collective examines how climate and energy policies affect economic structures and income distribution, aiming to support the ecological transition and mitigate the social impacts of emission reduction policies.
A group of researchers from the University of Pisa involved in the design of the game will also attend the presentation to share the development process behind Ecoesione and highlight its educational value.
Tobia Teardo, president of Golem’s Lab and game designer, explains: “I wanted to create a game where every resource, every card, every element is finite. This was meant to recreate the scenario of a world already depleted of fossil materials, where time is running out. Starting from this fragile condition, players must achieve a sustainable result within a limited time — which increases or decreases depending on their energy impact on the world and their ability to stay in balance, also in relation to others’ actions.”
Simone D’Alessandro, full professor at the Department of Economics and Management at the University of Pisa and one of the game’s creators, adds: “Ecoesione is not just a board game — it’s an educational tool to better understand the urgency of ecological transition. We want to inspire reflection on environmental challenges in an engaging and accessible way, using the language of play.”
During the three days of the festival, you can try out Ecoesione at the Game Science Research Center stand (E/8, Pavilion 15) and learn more about the crowdfunding campaign launched on Produzioni dal Basso.
For more information and contacts: https://sostieni.link/37805