Frontiers

Frontiers leads its players to European border zones. Developed by goldextra.

Produced by Martina Brandmayr, Jens M. Stober, Georg Hobmeier, Tobias Hammerle, Sonja Prlic und Karl Zechenter.

Frontiers leads its players to European border zones. As a refugee or border patrol you'll get to know the border and the life behind it from both sides - in the Sahara, Iraq, the woods of Slovakia and Ukraine and the beaches in southern Spain. The game portrays two major migration itineraries, from the Far East and Africa respectively to Europe. The players face up to three „border situations“ on each route. They can initially decide between the roles of refugees or varied authorities.

The computer game has become - as it is most visible in Frontiers - a means to active individual participation. The game creates a virtual model of an actual geographic and political landscape, which is open for discussion and more so it is open for an attempt to change it exemplarily by individual contributions of the players/modders. Frontiers presents an immersive and interactive glimpse on the reality of migrants and refugees. "You have to change the information", states the nun Paula Dominges, one of the last persons that takes care of refugees in the enclave Ceuta. Frontiers is based on a series of international field trips and interviews with border guards, refugees, aid workers and activists.

In 2007 goldextra started the research at the European border zones - in Ceuta and Ukraine -, in 2010 Frontiers has been presented at ZKM Karlsruhe. The most important fact though: Since the initial release the game has been downloaded nearly 45.000 times, has been played on pur servers and discussed in forums of the gaming community, universities and refugee camps.