Even Hard Shells Need Saving

World of Us is filled with hidden treasures. In fact, it’s filled with GEMS – short for Game Element Management Systems. The GEMS in World of Us make up every sound you hear, every pattern you can decorate with and, most importantly, every creature who calls it home. The best part about our GEMS is that they can all be found in the world we live in. 

This week, as the Green Game Jam 2025 begins, we have an exciting GEM to share with you all – the Olive Ridley Turtles. 

We caught up with our Game Designer – Anna Dohy – to get the low down on these fascinating creatures and how you can interact with them in World of Us. 

“We want to highlight the small but powerful ways people can care for nature. These turtles are part of real conservation work on Congo’s beaches, and they help tell a story about protecting life and the environment.” We didn’t create the turtles from thin air. They are part of our real world ecosystem. And sometimes, they need our help a little more than usual. “The idea of creating a part of the game where players can help get the turtles into the ocean came from real turtle caretakers our team met during our research trips. Flipping a baby turtle off its shell helps it survive, and shows how small actions of kindness and care can make a big difference.” 

In World of Us, collaboration through action is a key responsibility of the players but so is making sure that players are able to better understand the natural world. “It's a fun little encounter in the game, but we also wanted to make it feel meaningful and respectful. We wanted it to be more than just a cute moment, this is why we included an NPC, that’s a non-playable character, who can tell the player more about the job of turtle caretakers.” Much like we expect our players to learn, it's also important that our team continues to learn, too. We asked Anna what her favourite fact was about the Olive Ridley Turtles to share with you all and here’s w...