Developer Zeedz.io has announced the launch of the world’s first play-for-purpose game called Zeedz on iOS and Android devices where players fight global carbon emissions by collecting plat-inspired creatures called Zeedles. Along with the launch of the title, the developer has also announced a $1M USD seed round. The investment was led by the panelists of Germany’s Shark Tank, Die Hohle der Lowen, which includes notable entrepreneurs and investors such as Carsten Machmeyer, Tillman Schulz, and Dagmar Wohrl. As of now, Zeedz.io is the only startup in the show’s history to close unanimous funding from all five celebrity judges.
The developer will use the funding to scale and market the game to a global audience which will help drive awareness for climate change. According to the official press release, Zeeds.io aims to create fun and nostalgic games that not only provide fun and entertainment but also lead to awareness and real-world climate protection. Zeedz is their first game, and it sees players planting their Zeedle on a real-world map and connects gameplay with current environmental factors. Different Zeedles require specific weather conditions, prompting players to use in-game educational resources to learn about climate zones and actionable tips for reducing emissions.
As these Zeedles hatch and grow, players will see them evolving based on real-time weather and user care. They will be able to see the direct impact that weather has on their creatures. Players will also lead Zeedles into battle and fight against enemies sent by the Evil Lord CO the 2nd. Apart from the standard edition available on iOS and Android devices, a separate NFT version of the game is also available with a straightforward onboarding process. If interested in this NFT version, players can easily purchase Zeedle NFTs using PayPal or a credit card through a standard eCommerce checkout. This separates the need for a separate wallet in the purchasing process.
Along with the game launch, the developer has also released physical trading cards that will be available for pre-order soon. This will also open up the green magical world of Zeedz to analog and target a younger audience. Nearly all of the financial contributions created by players are designated to specifically defined, evaluated, and audited non-profit projects that focus on reducing global emissions of CO2 and turning players’ progress into direct emission reductions. Ten percent of the company’s earnings and 50% of all Marketplace profits fund green projects all around the world in collaboration with Zeedz’s sustainability partner The Gold Standard. Sven Junglas, Co-Founder & CEO of Zeedz comments:
The world confronts a monumental challenge in climate change, and yet, the dialogue surrounding it can feel overwhelming, polarizing and overly patronizing. With Zeedz, we wanted to build a fun and engaging gameplay experience that addressed climate change awareness in a gamified way. Our objective isn’t to prescribe actions, but to allow players to organically acquire knowledge and hopefully make informed decisions for our environment. Through the power of gaming and multiple media forms including mobile apps and physical card games, we hope to combine entertainment with purpose, creating positive change and fostering a better understanding of the world we live in.
Carsten Maschmeyer, panel member of Die Hohle der Lowen comments:
Zeedz is revolutionizing the gaming industry for a good cause. It is the first game of its kind to generate financial contributions for non-profit organizations and have a clear intent on how to raise awareness on global warming. It combines in-game challenges with real-world weather phenomena. That immediately excited us, judges.
Additional information is available on the official website of Zeedz.io. You can also download and try Zeedz on Android and iOS to see if you like the game.
What are your thoughts on Zeedz, and would you be interested in playing the world’s first play-for-purpose game? Let us know which platform you will be saving the planet on in the comments section below.
