Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge Brings Attention to Environmental Conservation

Video games have the power to convey significant messages, whether explicitly or subtly. For Kamaeru: A Frog Refuge, the development team at Humble Reeds utilized the concept of collecting and domesticating frogs to emphasize the significance of preserving ecological balance and the positive impact of restoration efforts on the environment. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, co-founders Aurélien Condomines and Mélanie Christin discussed how they wove this environmental message into the fabric of their game and what they hope players take away from the experience. Released on June 8, 2024, for PC, Switch, and Xbox, Kamaeru was initially intended as a mobile game, but the team encountered challenges with the business model. "We didn't want to create a free-to-play game that relied on in-app purchases," Condomines explained. "So, we decided to launch it on PC and console first." Christin added that they are open to releasing it on mobile in the future, provided they can find a suitable partner to help with marketing, as the game's touchscreen functionality works well with its gameplay. The idea for Kamaeru was inspired by games like Pokémon and Cats & Soup, but its core concept stemmed from the team's focus on biodiversity and nature restoration. Condomines mentioned that Project Drawdown, a non-profit organization dedicated to climate solutions, was a significant inspiration for the game. "Because the game carries an environmental message, our main inspiration was Project Drawdown, which offers practical solutions for combating climate change," he said. "One of the solutions involves restoring wetlands, which led us to frogs, and that's how the game came together." The team also drew inspiration from other farming simulations, such as Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing. "That's the kind of audience we attract, and people clearly love frogs," Condomines noted, with Christin adding that she was already aware of the strong affection for frogs, being a fan herself. While collecting adorable frogs might be the game's selling point, its primary focus is on promoting biodiversity and sustainability by restoring the creatures' habitats. "As players restore the wetlands, rarer frogs appear, which they can photograph and add to their Frogedex," Christin explained. "We're using the frogs to encourage players to care about wetlands and restore them, which can help capture a significant amount of carbon worldwide. That's the message we wanted to convey through this game." Condomines emphasized that Kamaeru is not an educational game, but rather a fun experience with an integrated environmental message. "It's a very humorous game, and everything is intertwined with the gameplay," he said. "For example, players receive a bioscore for producing good biodiversity, and there's a carbon capture gauge that increases as they restore the environment. It's all natural and subtle, without any overt messaging." Instead, Kamaeru focuses on the cozy aspects of farming simulations, enhanced by Christin's beautifully detailed, hand-drawn art. As she explained, every element, from rocks to trees, frogs, and other creatures, is carefully integrated into the game world. "She's an exceptional artist," Condomines said. "It's all handmade, and the game has a cozy, low-tech vibe. There's no time pressure, no penalties, and nothing negative can happen. It's a peaceful experience, with animals and natural elements everywhere, and players really love the frogs." Some frogs can only be accessed through breeding, which involves feeding and taming them to produce different colors and species. With over 500 frogs to collect and care for, spread across three biomes, players can engage in various activities, such as crafting and selling items to fund their restoration efforts. "These items can be sold to support the restoration and the frog refuge," Christin explained, highlighting the game's focus on real-life applications of wetland resources. The game features seven mini-games, which the team found surprisingly easy to develop. "It's funny," Christin laughed, as Condomines noted that they discovered a natural talent for creating unique mini-games for a restoration-themed title. "It has much more depth than it initially seems," he concluded. "There's always something happening, and there's a sense of progression as players move between biomes. There's also a narrative thread, with NPCs to interact with, and players learn that their mission is to restore the wetlands with the help of others. That's the underlying message – cooperation and collective effort for the greater good."