Young people often lack the resources, help or opportunities to explore their future careers. Whilst being able to find out about different types of work, getting to grips with transferable skills, or discover the changing nature of the jobs market usually doesn’t happen until well after leaving school.
As the principle game designer of MeTycoon, I set out to create a captivating and satisfying online experience that would encourage young teenagers to proactively explore career opportunities; combining videos of real people doing real jobs within a game world based on skills, activities, relationships and money to determine happiness. MeTycoon was an online social game that encouraged players to explore and develop their virtual life, and compete with others to lead the best possible life.
In this whole life simulator, players choose everything from which toys to play with as children to many critical decisions based on studying, taking up hobbies, charity work and exploring a wide variety of career paths. Choosing everything from housing to pets to relationships and jobs to earn and manage their money, happiness and lead the lifestyle they desire. All the while getting insights into real world jobs from people who are doing those jobs today through engaging videos and skill based challenges.
As product manager and game producer I lead the vision of the game, working with subject matter experts to help define and refine the content, developing the user stories and game design in collaboration with school children, setting and managing the roadmap and backlog, managing the development process and acting as the central point for a variety of stakeholders, including end-users, client team, development team and the education team.
The main gameplay area. Players support the costs of running a household by finding employment, using qualifications and skill development.
Players visit each other’s worlds and compete on their success and happiness.
Videos embedded within the game give detailed information on a range of professions. By viewing these videos, players unlock skill developers that can in turn be used to apply for better jobs.
The game went on to have over a million players, secured a finalist place at IITSEC game awards where NASA won, and had studies published on it, highlighting that 92% of players discovered new careers they could pursue.