About the Game
Set in the country of Nusarampa in 2034, Dio faces a crisis when the latest bio-implant upgrade for his daughter, Mona, instead causes a severe illness.
As a single father, Dio must find treatment for his daughter amid the swirl of information muddle from both social media and mass media about bio-implants and the suspected illness it causes. He must also maintain relationships with those closest to him during an economic crisis, while managing a sudden fame from a viral social media post. Which information will you choose to trust?
Why does disinformation persist in Asia-Pacific, especially Indonesia, despite numerous countermeasures?
Several researches have suggested that the current approach to disinformation—based on inoculation theory that emphasizes digital literacy and individual vigilance—may not be sufficient. While important, these tactics potentially overlook the broader sociocultural and political-economic shaping in how people engage with false or misleading content.
As an effort to rethink and recalibrate our approach to disinformation, we are developing Taksa: A Game on Disinformation. An interactive story visual novel, we draw upon the latest disinformation research that highlights that disinformation as an infrastructural and relational problem, not merely an individual problem.
Instead of simply teaching critical thinking, the game asks the player whether such skills are sufficient to navigate an “information muddle” in a widespread distrust of public institutions. Thus the game highlights the roles of media oligarchy, algorithmic visibility, and familial expectations (among others) in contributing to the spread of disinformation.
The game is supported by Oxfam*, and developed by Pradipa P. Rasidi in partnership with IOTA Kreatif Media and narrative developer Annas A. Aziz.
The full game is planned to be available as a web-based game, as well as ported to Steam as a free-to-play game.
