Gamification of the overexploitation of natural resources. An operational game based on System Dynamics

Overexploitation is the phenomenon that occurs when an economic resource is exploited at a rate faster than it can be regenerated by natural processes. It affects both renewable and non-renewable resources. Overexploitation, and the related effect of “overshoot,” may lead to the complete destruction of the resource being exploited and the collapse of the economic system exploiting it. Nevertheless, overexploitation is common in the economy, although its mechanisms and consequences are often unknown to the public and to decision makers. The present paper aims at providing a tool to disseminate the concept of overexploitation by simulating it using the technique of “gamification.” We created a simple boardgame based on a system dynamics model that maintains the basic elements that generate overexploitation. The game is called the “Moby Dick Game” and it is inspired by the whaling cycle of the 19th century. Other versions of the game can be used to simulate, for instance, oil extraction. The game was tested on several groups of students and interested people with different backgrounds. The players usually reported to have learned for the first time the mechanisms that lead to overexploitation and collapse.