Consent Games

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ADRIFT: Learning Consent Without the Trauma

An interview with the developers of the award winning consent game ADRIFT.

In 2017, we had the privilege of bringing one of our more successful games to life – in more ways than one. In ADRIFT, you play as a member of an interstellar salvage crew exploring an abandoned spaceship. Since then, the game has been played and downloaded thousands of times and in 2019, the MOD. museum at the University of South Australia built a life-size version for their patrons to play and experience. As our director, Drew Crecente, has said, one of the best parts of ADRIFT is that people can learn about consent without being traumatized in the process. What Life Love Publishing aims to do is publish pro-social games; these are games that look at positive and constructive messages, with no overt violent imagery.

We recently got to sit down with the original developers, Quinn Crossley (he/him and they/them) and Andrew Connell (he/him), and hear what they’ve been up to. The designers, former roommates, and good friends shared a bit about life post-ADRIFT and their tips for aspiring game developers.

Let’s Talk About Space, Baby

We started off by asking Connell and Crossley what drew them to our Non-Violent Gaming Competition, and if they had experience with prosocial gaming before. They both expressed that, while the term “prosocial gaming” was new to them, they had been working in game development for educational purposes already. The competition gave them a tangible goal to start working towards. “We have the skillset, we have the time . . . both of us want to make things that matter,” Connell said.

Now, why are we talking about consent on a spaceship? Crossley asserts that the choice to be on a spaceship, interacting with computers is very intentional. Who we interact with can influence the direction of a conversation. The conversation isn’t grounded in a familiar reality – unless you’ve been an explorer on an abandoned spaceship, of course. This allows for the discussion of consent to occur in a new light, “symbolism in a different context,” says Connell.

Can you successfully navigate the puzzles in *ADRIFT*?

The two had previously worked on a game called Managing at Home. You play as a cancer patient navigating the first three days of chemotherapy, from what food they eat to how they cope with the side effects. Crossley shared that the game involved a lot of consent-adjacent conversations, like bodily autonomy, decision making, and bigger questions on how we treat ourselves and others.

Bringing ADRIFT to Life

ADRIFT was published in September 2017 and as far as the games’ designers were concerned that was the end of the story. But then “. . . we just get this email at like 3 in the morning, on a random weekday from some museum in Australia . . . we didn’t think this project had any more happening with it!” Crossley shared. “We wanted to make a little change in the world and this got way more attention than we ever anticipated.” They both shared that they were used to working the other way around – an organization would commission them and outline exactly what they needed. This time, someone sought them out. “It was really validating in a way,” says Connell. ADRIFT has had much success, but originally placed fourth in the original competition. “To see that it’s gone this far is really surprising.”

Recreation of the consent game ADRIFT for the Hedonism exhibition at Australia's museum MOD. — *ADRIFT* brought to life at MOD.

The museum exhibit, entitled hedonism, launched in October 2019, exploring themes of healthy sexual relationships and consent. A life-size version of ADRIFT was born, relabeled as F. A. B. L. E.:

“Welcome, Operative, to F.A.B.L.E. – aka the Federated Association of Believers, Leaders, and Explorers. Your mission is simple: teleport on board this foreign spaceship and connect with the alien. As you explore this new world, there are protocols to follow. Make sure you check in with the alien as you go, follow the principles of consent, and achieve a two-way flow of information that will benefit both of our races.”
F.A.B.L.E.

On Being Game Developers

When we asked them what the best and worst parts of being a game developer were, Connell immediately answered, “all of it” while Crossley laughed in agreement. They both agreed that the feedback can be the best and most difficult part of being game developers. Crossley shares that he loves seeing how people emotionally react to their work, even if it’s frustration. It’s wonderful for them to see how games can create bonds between people. “It’s cool to put something out in the word for people to connect over, but at the same time it’s hard to manage all the feedback…You can’t make everyone happy,” he shares. “I like making people feel stuff but also…it’s hard.”

Connell agrees, “we like to make people feel stuff, but we don’t want people’s feedback to make us feel too many things back. It can feel great to help people but since you put so much time and energy into it, it can feel really bad when it doesn’t go well.”

“It’s vulnerable for sure, but it can be really rewarding. You have to harness a lot of strength to share those pieces of yourself,” Crossley adds.

Advice For New Developers

It can take time to develop that strength for newer developers. Crossley says that any time you put your art there, you are being vulnerable. Connell adds that it’s easy to feel vulnerable because you’re opening yourself up to criticism whenever you put yourself on the internet. The gaming industry can be a tough industry for newcomers.

The gaming industry can be a tough industry for newcomers . . . it can be easy to push yourself hard enough to burn out.
Andrew Connell and Quin Crossley, developers of ADRIFT

It can be a competitive fast-paced industry, and when you’re new, it can be easy to push yourself hard enough to burn out. People come in with a lot of passion, but it can come at the expense of their health. Crossley candidly shares that learning boundaries is one way to be successful in life, though it can be hard to apply those boundaries in a work setting.

What tips do these two have for people wanting to break into the industry? Make something and put it out there, says Connell. You’re a game developer by making games, not just thinking about them. It’s a competitive field where success is based on your improvement and your output. Get involved, go to game jams – there is more value in just doing what you love, rather than focusing on what looks good on your resume. However, he adds, work in the environment that works for you. Don’t force yourself to fit somewhere that creates stress for you.

You’re a game developer by making games, not just thinking about them.

“Perfect is the enemy of good,” Crossley adds. If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing even if the outcome isn’t perfect. Successful designers don’t necessarily have the strongest skills, but they put themselves out there and aren’t afraid to jump onto projects and participate. Taking risks is a large part of moving forward in the gaming industry.

Where Are They Now?

“I miss you!” Crossley exclaimed, when asked if they were still working together. Life has changed for these two – distance, the pandemic, and general growth have led to them working in very different careers in different parts of the country, although working together again is certainly not out of the question. Neither is a sequel to ADRIFT!

“We played with that years ago…it is a possibility,” says Connell.

“It sounds like it’s out there, helping people and making an impact, so yeah I’d keep following it,” says Crossley.

Connell is currently working as a simulation engineer for an advanced learning company, and makes educational Youtube videos. He’s even created a learning course for Unity, a game development engine. His long-term goal is to have a life that lets him create in a healthy way – “I’m finally getting to the stage of making things for me, making things that make people feel something, and appeal to me on a deeper level.”

A screenshot from the video game 'ADRIFT'. A dark background with a red diamond in the center. Above the diamond is the sentence: "Consent is informed, freely given, actively given, and revocable." — *ADRIFT* offers a useful reminder about consent.

Crossley did a couple of museum projects, and even developed some games for PBS Kids. They took a break during the COVID-19 pandemic and worked as a technical writer in the corporate world. Even more exciting, he is currently traveling and aspires to visit all 50 states. He’s already visited at least 35 with his dog. Crossley and Connell are dreaming of reuniting in Yellowstone, where they can go wolf-watching. As they work in their new roles and make plans to reunite, they can feel confident that somebody, somewhere is learning about the meaning and importance of consent through the clever little game they created.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play now	Play in your browser or download from the AppStore	jag.itch.io/adrift
Development	Quinn Crossley and Andrew Connell
Produced by	Jennifer Ann’s Group	@stopTDV (Mastodon)
Published by	Life Love Publishing	@LifeLovePublish (Mastodon)
RightRating™	Everyone	No ads. No in-app purchases. No loot boxes. No privacy tracking.

No, Mr. President — Sexual Violence Isn’t an Immigration Issue

President Trump’s proclamation for Sexual Assault Awareness Month was inappropriate for many reasons.

“This month, we recognize National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month by ending the unfathomable human abuse committed under open borders policies.”

When I read President Trump’s proclamation for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, my jaw dropped. On one hand, after he failed to recognize Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month in February, it was positive to see any recognition at all.

On the other . . . it felt more like I was reading a tirade against immigrants rather than an acknowledgment that sexual assault continues to be a prevalent issue on an international scale. It’s hard to watch Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month be used not to center survivors, but to push a political narrative that misplaces blame and distracts from the root causes of violence.

… the vast majority of sexual assaults are committed by people the victim knows

Sexual violence is a systemic issue, deeply tied to power, misogyny, and cultural normalization of abuse — not a “border crisis.” The truth is, the vast majority of sexual assaults are committed by people the victim knows — and they’re family, neighbors, classmates, co-workers.^¹ Weaponizing a handful of tragic stories to vilify immigrants doesn’t just misrepresent the data — it actively harms real efforts to address sexual violence. If we actually care about ending sexual violence, we should be funding the people and programs doing the work — not scapegoating immigrants and ignoring the cultural movements
that allow this violence to persist in every corner of this country.

… migrants are actually less likely to commit crimes than citizens

Furthermore, since when does the USA have an open borders policy? We’ve had some form of immigration policies since the Page Act of 1875 – this was the first federal law to restrict immigration, specifically targeting Asian women.^² Ironically, the argument for the “Oriental Exclusion Act of 1875”was that it was to protect women from being trafficked into the USA
against their will, in response to a thriving prostitution industry on the West Coast.^³

A few years later, the 1882 Chinese Exclusion Act was passed to prevent Chinese men from immigrating as well.^⁴ That same year, the Immigration Act of 1882 marked the beginning of the formal immigration process — complete with visas, entry screenings, and exclusions based on perceived desirability. Since then, the United States has never had open borders.^⁵ To claim otherwise is not only misleading — it erases over a century of policy, enforcement, and bureaucracy.

(USAID) was completely shut down . . . their efforts to prevent global human trafficking were halted

While the President’s proclamation points out cases of crime by migrants, like the tragic murder of Laken Riley, research has shown that migrants are actually less likely to commit crimes than citizens^⁶ and immigrants are 60% less likely to be incarcerated than citizens.^⁷ The New York Times debunked the widely held belief that immigration leads to increased crime in the United States, in “The Myth of the Criminal Immigrant.” The analysis, in collaboration with The Marshall Project, examined data from 200 metropolitan areas over several decades, revealing that as immigrant populations grew, violent crime rates either decreased or remained stable.^⁸

And yet, what’s even more insulting is that the same administration making this proclamation has overseen or supported constant cuts to programs that actually help survivors: community-based prevention initiatives^⁹, trauma-informed care, research funding^¹⁰, school-based consent education^¹¹, and more^¹². The Crime Victims Fund, which funds domestic violence shelters, rape crisis centers, crisis hotlines, and legal aid, experienced a 40% reduction in funding.^¹³

How can this administration claim sexual violence is an “unfathomable human abuse,” while simultaneously encouraging this abuse to occur against people they consider undesirable?

The Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) funding was impacted, leaving local organization without funding and leaders of divisions like the Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services, put on administrative leave.^¹⁴ The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) was completely shut down, which meant their efforts to prevent global human trafficking were halted.^¹⁵

Alongside this performative outrage about sexual violence and human trafficking, our government is even sending legal migrants to El Salvador prisons, where sexual violence against deportees is common.^¹⁶ How can this administration claim sexual violence is an “unfathomable human abuse,” while simultaneasly encouraging this abuse to occur against people that they consider undesirable? We cannot pick and choose who is and who isn’t worthy of protection. We have a criminal justice system for a reason, and assault is not a legally permissible consequence for crime.

Here is what all of us can do. . .

Meanwhile, we’re seeing a disturbing rise in public misogyny — from influencers glorifying male dominance to lawmakers mocking women’s rights. Where is the national emergency for that?

Jordan Peterson^¹⁷, Andrew Tate^¹⁸, Donald Trump^¹⁹– all birds of a feather, with significantly large platforms. Trump himself has been accused of sexual violence against multiple women, most notably E. Jean Carroll. On May 9, 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexual abuse against Carroll – and then went on to win the presidency.^²⁰

To end on a positive note, I speak specifically to those of us who do not hold positions of office. Here is what all of us can do:

Donate your time and money to organizations helping survivors.
Don’t forget prevention is in your hands; groups working to prevent future violence need support too.
Keep your heart open when hearing stories about abuse.
If you suspect something is happening to a friend or co-worker, reach out to them.
Let the people in your life know that you can be trusted – set that example.
Keep the conversation going in your home, work, school, and anywhere you go.

There are underlying root causes behind sexual violence. Engaging in open conversations about respect, relationships, and responsibility will help all of us to better understand them. We can all play our part in preventing future violence and supporting survivors.

Despite everything that is happening right now, remember: we do matter, we can enact change, and we can be a force for good.

References

1 https://www.statista.com/statistics/251927/usa-reported-forcible-rape-cases-by-victim-offender-relationship/

2 https://loveman.sdsu.edu/docs/1875Immigration%20Act.pdf

3 https://www.history.com/articles/chinese-immigration-page-act-women

4 https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/chinese-exclusion-act

5 https://www.axios.com/2023/10/17/us-mexico-border-open-borders-myth

6 https://www.npr.org/2024/03/08/1237103158/immigrants-are-less-likely-to-commit-crimes-than-us-born-americans-studies-find

7 https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w31440/w31440.pdf

8 https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/03/30/upshot/crime-immigration-myth.html

9 https://www.politico.com/news/2025/03/01/funding-freeze-domestic-violence-00206807

10 https://www.poz.com/article/trump-nih-terminates-hundreds-research-grants-hiv-minorities-lgbtq-cancer-covid-latino

11 https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/03/31/trump-targets-california-sex-ed/

12 https://endsexualviolence.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/FY25_survey_infographic.pdf

13 https://www.weau.com/2025/02/20/federal-funding-cut-victims-crime-act-voca/

14 https://www.npr.org/2025/04/08/nx-s1-5349529/hhs-layoffs-sexual-assault-rape-prevention

15 https://www.wired.com/story/usaid-collapse-is-helping-criminal-scammers-enslave-people/

16 https://www.hrw.org/report/2020/02/05/deported-danger/united-states-deportation-policies-expose-salvadorans-death-and

17 https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/feb/07/how-dangerous-is-jordan-b-peterson-the-rightwing-professor-who-hit-a-hornets-nest

18 https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cz955kjw17no

19 https://theconversation.com/trump-represents-a-specific-type-of-masculinity-and-its-dangerous-for-women-243285

20 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-e-jean-carroll-trial-verdict-liable-defamation-sexual-abuse-5-million

Interview: ADRIFT, a Global Consent Game

An interview with the game developers of the popular consent game ADRIFT.

In 2017, we had the privilege of bringing a unique game about consent to life – in more ways than one. In ADRIFT, you play as a member of an interstellar salvage crew exploring an abandoned spaceship. Since then, the game has been played and downloaded by players around the world.

And in 2019, the MOD. museum at the University of South Australia built a life-size version for their patrons to play and experience. The family-friendly tone of ADRIFT made it a good fit for public exhibition. As our Executive Director, Drew Crecente, says, one of the best aspects of ADRIFT is people get to learn about consent without being traumatized in the process.

“learn about consent without being traumatized in the process”

This is a primary goal of our nonprofit group’s Gaming Against Violence program. The program publishes pro-social games, games that promote positive and constructive messages in a compelling way without resorting to violent narratives and imagery.

We recently got to sit down with the original developers of ADRIFT, Quinn Crossley (he/him and they/them) and Andrew Connell (he/him), to learn what they’ve been up to since creating ADRIFT. The designers, former roommates, and good friends shared a bit about life post-ADRIFT and offered a few tips for aspiring video game developers.

What attracted them to the Consent Contest?

We started off by asking Connell and Crossley what attracted them to our annual non-violent game design challenge; did they have experience with prosocial gaming before? They both expressed that, while the term “prosocial gaming” was new to them, they had already been working in educational game development. They liked the idea that the consent video game competition would give them a tangible goal to start working towards.

“We have the skillset, we have the time . . . both of us want to make things that matter,” Connell said.

And, why are we talking about consent on a spaceship?

Crossley says the choice to be on a spaceship and interacting with computers is very intentional: who we interact with can influence the direction of a conversation. When that conversation isn’t grounded in a familiar reality – unless you’ve been an explorer on an abandoned spaceship – it allows for any discussions about consent to occur in a new light; as Connell puts it: “symbolism in a different context.”

The two previously worked on a game called Managing at Home. In that game the player’s character is a cancer patient navigating the first three days of chemotherapy, from what food they eat to how they cope with the side effects. Crossley shared that the game involved a lot of consent-adjacent conversations like bodily autonomy, decision making, and bigger questions about how we treat ourselves and how we treat others.

Bringing ADRIFT to Life

ADRIFT was published in September 2017 and as far as the games’ designers were concerned that was the end of the story. They were pleased with the game they’d created and happy to know that people were playing it to learn about consent.

But more than a year later “. . . we just get this email at like 3 in the morning, on a random weekday from some museum in Australia . . . we didn’t think this project had any more happening with it!” according to Crossley.

A museum in Australia was reaching out because it wanted to re-create their video game into a lifesize exhibit that visitors to the museum would interact with!

“We wanted to make a little change in the world and this got way more attention than we ever anticipated.”

“way more attention than we ever anticipated”

They were used to working the other way around – an organization would commission them and outline exactly what they needed and they would create a game based on that vision. This time though, someone wanted to adapt a game that they had designed.

“It was really validating in a way,” says Connell. Although ADRIFT has had much success it originally received fourth place in the consent game design competition.

“To see that it’s gone this far is really surprising.”

The museum exhibit, entitled hedonism, launched October 2019 at the MOD. museum and explored themes around healthy sexual relationships and consent. A life-size version of ADRIFT was born and relabeled as F. A. B. L. E.

“Welcome, Operative, to F.A.B.L.E. – aka the Federated Association of Believers, Leaders, and Explorers. Your mission is simple: teleport on board this foreign spaceship and connect with the alien. As you explore this new world, there are protocols to follow. Make sure you check in with the alien as you go, follow the principles of consent, and achieve a two-way flow of information that will benefit both of our races.”
F.A.B.L.E.

On Being Game Developers

What are the best and worst parts of being a game developer?

Connell immediately answered, “all of it!” while Crossley laughed in agreement.

They both agreed the feedback can be both the best and the most difficult part of being game developers. Crossley shares that he loves seeing how people emotionally react to their work, even if it’s in frustration. It’s wonderful for them to see how games can create bonds between people.

“It’s cool to put something out in the word for people to connect over, but at the same time it’s hard to manage all the feedback…You can’t make everyone happy,” he shares. “I like making people feel stuff but also… it’s hard.”

“we like to make people feel stuff, but we don’t want people’s feedback to make us feel too many things back”

“It’s vulnerable for sure, but it can be really rewarding. You have to harness a lot of strength to share those pieces of yourself,” Crossley adds.

Advice For New Developers

It can take time to develop that strength for newer developers. Crossley says any time you put your art there, you are being vulnerable. Connell adds that it’s easy to feel vulnerable because you’re opening yourself up to criticism whenever you put yourself on the internet. The gaming industry can be a tough industry for newcomers.

The gaming industry can be a tough industry for newcomers . . . it can be easy to push yourself hard enough to burn out.
Andrew Connell and Quin Crossley, developers of ADRIFT

It can be a competitive fast-paced industry, and when you’re new, it can be easy to push yourself hard enough to burn out. People come in with a lot of passion, but it can come at the expense of their health. Crossley candidly shares that learning boundaries is one way to be successful in life but it can be hard to apply those boundaries in a work setting.

What tips do these two have for people wanting to break into the industry?

Make something and put it out there, says Connell. You’re a game developer by making games, not just thinking about them. It’s a competitive field where success is based on your improvement and your output. Get involved, go to game jams – there is more value in just doing what you love, rather than focusing on what looks good on your resume.

However, he adds, work in the environment that works for you. Don’t force yourself to fit somewhere that creates stress for you.

You’re a game developer by making games, not just thinking about them.

“Perfect is the enemy of good,” Crossley adds.

If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing even if the outcome isn’t perfect. Successful designers don’t necessarily have the strongest skills, but they put themselves out there and aren’t afraid to jump onto projects and participate. Taking risks is a large part of moving forward in the gaming industry.

Where Are They Now?

“I miss you!” Crossley exclaimed, when asked if they were still working together.

Crossley and Connell talk of reuniting in Yellowstone and wolf-watching.

Life has changed for these two – distance, the COVID-19 pandemic, and general growth have led to them working in very different careers in different parts of the country, although working together again is certainly not out of the question – and neither is a sequel to ADRIFT!

“We played with that years ago… it is a possibility,” says Connell.

“It sounds like it’s out there, helping people and making an impact, so yeah I’d keep following it,” says Crossley.

Connell is currently working as a simulation engineer for an advanced learning company, and makes educational YouTube videos. He’s even created a learning course for Unity, the popular game development engine. His long-term goal is to have a life that allows him to create in a healthy way.

“I’m finally getting to the stage of making things for me, making things that make people feel something, and appeal to me on a deeper level.”

As Crossley and Connell work in their new roles and consider plans to reunite, they can feel confident that at any given time somebody, somewhere, is learning about the meaning and importance of consent through the clever little game they created.

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play now	Play in your browser or download from the AppStore	jag.itch.io/adrift
Development	Quinn Crossley and Andrew Connell
Produced by	Jennifer Ann’s Group	@stopTDV (Mastodon)
Published by	Life Love Publishing	@LifeLovePublish (Mastodon)
RightRating™	Everyone	No ads. No in-app purchases. No loot boxes. No privacy tracking.

April 2025 is #SAAM: Sexual Assault Awareness Month

What are your plans to learn about consent during this year’s Awareness Month?

Talking about consent with teenagers isn’t always easy. Teaching them about consent can be even more challenging. The right resources can make both of these tasks easier.

Fortunately, the consent games from the Gaming Against Violence program produced by the nonprofit charity Jennifer Ann’s Group are a great way to engage young people about this important, but sensitive, topic. In 2025, as has been the case since 2001, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, or SAAM. For #SAAM2025 we wanted to share an award-winning video game about consent with you called Crossing Boundaries.

Crossing Boundaries

We will be discussing Crossing Boundaries, a consent game for teenagers that can also be quite resourceful for college-age students. The game allows the player to play through several scenarios through which they learn about various ways that consent is important.

If you are an educator or counselor looking for a great consent resource for the classroom or if you are a parent unsure of how to have a conversation with your child, Crossing Boundaries will be a great help.

Crossing Boundaries combines a travel game with important scenarios about consent.

Travelling the World

Crossing Boundaries is all about three friends who recently got out of school. To celebrate this, they have saved up some money and decided to travel the world together. Eva and Alice bring along their friend Joe who doesn’t always do a good job of thinking his decisions through. Thanks to Joe, and missing a plane flight early on, the friends get into occasional bits of trouble on their adventure across the world. The game also incorporates a cute mini-game with some fun mechanics that drive home the themes of consent even more throughout the game.

*Snog-a-Frog* is the game-within-a-game you will play along with the game’s characters.

The favorite thing about Crossing Boundaries for many players is that it’s about more than just sexual consent. It highlights the fact that every person has their own will and no one has the right to ignore it: it is not okay to make choices for another person’s body.

Even if it’s something like trying a new food, “no means no!”

For example, in one city that the friends visit, Joe decides to sign his friends up for a perfume testing project without consulting them. He decides to do so without asking for their consent because “there weren’t many spots left.”

As the game clearly shows, the issue of consent extends beyond the realm of dating and sex to include anything that affects your personal space, will, or body.

The game offers many destinations, allowing repeat gameplay to experience all locales.

Crossing Boundaries also offers the player choices regarding how they want to respond when various dilemmas pop up. There are multiple choices to each situation and it’s up to you to choose how you react. Every circumstance has multiple paths you can follow, with multiple positive reactions to choose from. And the story reminds us that standing up to someone may not always be received as well as you might have hoped.

Dialogue choices provide different outcomes throughout the game.

People are complicated and so are their emotions. And when they are put into an uncomfortable situation they might not be thinking clearly or know how to properly react to being pressured by a friend or loved one. In Crossing Boundaries we are allowed to see Joe’s growth throughout the game.

Players safely experience situations in the game that might not be safe if they were to experience them in the real world.

You Can’t Script a Real Situation

Crossing Boundaries helps players see that there are many ways to react to a situation and that the “right” or “wrong” way is not always clear. Life is full of unique problems and people have to decide for themselves how they will respond and how that will make them – and others – feel.

Fortunately the decisions that you make in Crossing Boundaries are safe to make because, although they reflect real world situations, they have no real world consequences. Players can safely make a “wrong” decision and experience the outcome of that decision through a game. And they can play the game again, making different decisions and experiencing different outcomes. This is such a helpful way to allow young people to explore situations and decisions that would otherwise be unsafe or unhealthy in the real world.

As you travel the world you will unlock achievements. Will you unlock them all?

The game also makes it clear that silence does not equal agreement. We cannot assume that somebody is okay with a situation merely because they are not objecting. All in all, everyone has a right to decide what they feel comfortable with doing in their life. We all have an obligation to learn about consent and to recognize the impact there might be on ourselves, and on others, when it is not respected.

And remember, even if it’s not about a relationship, consent matters! Even seemingly inconsequential matters like tricking somebody to eat food that they don’t want, “no means no!”

Crossing Boundaries does an excellent job of providing many helpful examples of consent and its importance throughout the game. The dialogue, characters, and even a fun mini-game called Snog-a-Frog make learning about consent a surprisingly enjoyable experience. It’s wonderful that games like Crossing Boundaries exist today.

I wish Crossing Boundaries was available when I was a student!

Support this work by donating online: 

PayPal 
Apple Pay

Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play Crossing Boundaries

Developed by: Testudo Games
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Published by: Life Love Publishing
Price: Free (No Ads. No in-app purchases.)
Language: English
Age Rating: Rated 12+

More information about Crossing Boundaries  
► Get Crossing Boundaries on the iTunes Store  
► Crossing Boundaries is available at Amazon 
► Play Crossing Boundaries in your web browser  
► Watch a video trailer about Crossing Boundaries

How to Blorrble Blobble

How to Blorrble-Blobble illustrates how games can be more than mere entertainment as this fun game about learning to dance teaches young people about consent at the same time.

Games can be more than mere entertainment

A lot of games try to tell a story using few words. Others, they may tell their story using way too many.

How to Blorrble Blobble is a free game produced by the nonprofit group Jennifer Ann’s Group

With the former, it is not the easiest thing to properly communicate what you want people to take from it. You run the risk of your audience not seeing the point, or worse, getting the wrong point altogether. The former is certainly not good, but the latter can create the wrong (or even perhaps negative) interpretation of your work.

How to Blorbble Blobble handles this kind of game pretty well.

Video games can make you feel a certain way with wordless prowess, making you do things that may make you uncomfortable.

There are several ways to communicate through an interactive medium. The most common is through text and dialogue, unsurprisingly given that most stories are expressed that way. I personally feel that this is not the best way to do this in video games. It is not a bad way to do it, by any means. Most of my favorite video game stories are expressed through this way, after all. But some of my favorites in turn take great advantage of an interactive medium’s inherent advantages.

Video games can make you feel a certain way with wordless prowess, making you do things that may make you uncomfortable. For example, The Walking Dead games, while dealing with a character/dialogue-driven story, also evokes certain emotions by making players make hard decisions, such as whether to spare someone who had “done you wrong.”

So many options … which will Triangle Boy choose?

How to Blorrble Blobble

How to Blorrble Blobble focuses specifically on putting you into a real-world situation. ‘Blorbble-Blobble,’ or ‘Blorrbling‘ as the narrator/instructor calls it, has you following a strict ruleset when initiating the dance with another partner. You get to play as either Triangle Girl or Triangle Boy, and are walked through the game step by step, with the first step straight up having you seek out a partner with whom to dance.

Once you find a partner (Disco Girl or Disco Boy) you then are taught various procedures of Blorbbling. The first proper step is to greet them (after all, it is just polite). Once you greet your new Disco friend, you can ask them if they want to dance. Following this, they will either accept it or reject it. If they do reject it, you then have to respect that and back off.

It’s a delicate balancing act between respecting someone’s agency and respecting that someone under the influence can’t properly consent…

If they do decide to dance with you, you then have different protocols to follow. When you obtain consent, you can then give your partner a high five dance. After this, you then can move onto the fist bump – but not before asking if they want to continue dancing though. Consent may be revoked at any time, and this is both normal and okay.

This rule applies also to belly bumping, the final dance step. However, just because someone appears to consent does not necessarily mean that they are able to consent. At times, you may see that your prospective partner does not actually have the wherewithal to give consent. It’s a delicate balancing act between respecting someone’s agency and respecting that someone under the influence can’t properly consent to things.

Bumping bellies in How to Blorrble Blobble

My thoughts on How to Blorrble Blobble

If this seems like this game is trying to convey something other than dancing, you would be correct. It uses cute styles and cute concepts (high fiving is not exactly the most traditional dance move), but in reality, the basic rules of consent being discussed here correspond to sex and romance as much as it relates to dancing.

This fact is conveyed to the player near the end of the game by Orca (although I did not feel that it needed much in the way of explanation).

Lessons like this from Orca are helpful – especially for those who’ve never been taught consent!

The player is also reminded about their own consent.

When the player’s Triangle dance partner abruptly leaves Orca reminds the player that they can also disengage from Blorrbling whenever they so choose. If there is one thing that I particularly would like to see however would be to have your choice of character to not be based on a gender binary, and to instead name Triangle Girl/Boy and Disco Girl/Boy as “Triangle” and “Disco.”

The game has an interesting and funky art and musical style, evoking a 70s style. Whenever you initiate actions (such as asking for consent or dancing), you get a special little audio jingle to go along with it that makes the experience a little more active and transformative.

The gameplay is simple rule-following, with not too much deviation.

I would have liked to been able to do different dance steps out of order, or even skip certain dance steps altogether, much in the same way that a sexual encounter does not require that you necessarily follow the same steps every time, or the same steps in order.

The game conveyed this issue somewhat, as at one point you can choose to put belly bumping as the next step instead of fist bumping, but it resulted in the game soft-locking (thankfully it saves your progress up to that point). An expansion on the concepts to explore consent in a greater degree would be much appreciated, but How to Blorrble Blobble is already an interesting means by which to explore consent as-is.

Play How to Blorrble Blobble

Developed by: Jared Sain
Produced by: Jennifer Ann’s Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Appropriate for all ages

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Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

More information about How to Blorrble Blobble

Play How to Blorrble-Blobble game about consent in your browser
Helpful information about consent

A video game about consent: Crossing Boundaries

Crossing Boundaries is a travel game for teenagers

When you’re trying to properly teach consent it can be a little difficult to get the point across without using some form of media to help you. The games produced by the nonprofit charity Jennifer Ann’s Group are great for forming an easy, and open, line of communication about consent for kids and young adults.

Today we will be looking at Crossing Boundaries, a game for teenagers that can also be quite resourceful for college-age students. The game takes you through quite a few situations in which you learn about different approaches to many situations and the various ways that consent is important.

Travelling the World

Crossing Boundaries is about three friends who recently graduated from school. To celebrate this they have saved up some money and are going to travel the world together.

The two characters Eva and Alice bring along their friend Joe who doesn’t do a great job of always thinking his decisions through completely. Thanks to Joe, and missing their plane early on, the friends get into quite a bit of trouble on their adventure across the world. The game also incorporates a cute mini-game with some fun mechanics to drive home the themes of consent even more throughout the game.

Even if it’s something like trying to force someone to try a new food, “no means no!”

Consent Applies to Many Situations

My very favorite thing about Crossing Boundaries is that it’s about more than just sexual consent. It dives into the fact that every person has their own will and that no one has a right to try and go against it.

One of the main driving points that popped up in the game is that you can’t make choices for another person’s body. For example, Joe decides on his own to sign his friends up for a perfume testing project that could potentially harm them, because “there weren’t many spots left.” As the game clearly shows, the issue of consent extends beyond the realm of dating and sex to include anything that affects your personal space, will, or body.

The game also has choices you can make for each situation that pops up. There are multiple choices for each situation and it’s up to you to choose how you want to react. This shows that every circumstance has multiple paths you can follow, with multiple positive reactions to choose from. It also shows that standing up to someone may not always be as well received as you hope.

Humans are complicated in their emotions. When they are put into an uncomfortable situation they may not be thinking straight or know how to properly react to someone that’s trying to pressure them. This game shows Joe’s growth and through his growth it shows how positive actions can affect those around you, helping them become better people.

You Can’t Script a Real Situation

I really think Crossing Boundaries helps prove the point that there’s not always one way to react to a situation. Each problem you encounter in life is unique and you will have to react in a way you feel comfortable. The game also makes a point that just because someone doesn’t say no or run away, that isn’t grounds for assuming that they’re okay with a situation. All in all, everyone has a right to decide what they feel comfortable with doing in their life. Even if it’s something like trying to force someone to try a new food: “no means no!”

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Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

How to Play Crossing Boundaries

Developed by: Testudo Games
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Rated 12+

More information about Crossing Boundaries  
► Get Crossing Boundaries on the iTunes Store  
► Crossing Boundaries available at Amazon 
► Play Crossing Boundaries in your web browser  
► Watch a video game trailer about the consent game Crossing Boundaries

Stuck in a Dark Place: a Serious Game About Consent

Stuck in a Dark Place is a serious game about consent that covers a wide range of scenarios examining the importance of consent.

Note: This discussion about Stuck in a Dark Place contains spoilers. It also includes some discussions about non-consensual sexual activity. This post has been updated since it was originally published.

I truly feel like games can be a great educational tool that can transcend many boundaries. Often times, games can present a situation much better than verbal storytelling can. With the game Stuck in a Dark Place, you can truly get into the scenes shown to make it a great tool for consent education. The game is great for high schoolers or for talks about sexual consent at work or on college campuses.

The game does contain some disturbing situations though, and you should check with the group you are presenting it to before playing the game in class or having them do so.

Stuck in a Dark Place allows players to customize their character – a helpful reminder that consent affects everybody. Players can also use the “content warning” filter to skip some of the more disturbing descriptions and depictions of sexual assault.

Getting Started With Stuck in a Dark Place

The game has a rather unusual start. First, you design a character by picking their skin and hair color and then you immediately find yourself in jail. You learn that you were a teacher named Chloe who had a relationship with a student and you feel wrongly imprisoned.

Chloe claims that it’s wrong to be in jail when the student consented to their relationship but so many men went free after harassing her. Her cellmate Sonia, decides to help her through her emotionally scarring memories by having her write about them.

This screenshot from Stuck in a Dark Place shows a subway rider who is being “groped” – just one depiction of nonconsensual sexual activity covered by this serious game.

The game consists of eight chapters all covering different, but very real, situations where Chloe is violated in some way. As the story goes along, the situations Chloe recalls become more disturbing and paint a picture of what led her to eventually be imprisoned.

Throughout the story, the game has you play two mini-games to help you etch out the words Chloe is using to convey her letters to the abusers. You will have to search for the right words in a puzzle or unscramble them to fill in the missing blanks.

Game Options

The game options include a setting allowing you to skip some of the more graphic content, in case you feel uncomfortable with some of the serious situations shown.

The game also features a lesson mode. This mode is great if you’re teaching a class about sexual abuse and consent. The mode will let you choose from one of the eight chapters and skip to that section easily. In lesson mode it still has the option to block out some of the more sensitive content in case your class is uncomfortable with the scenes.

Please realize that the entire game should be played in order to understand the context for these individual scenes. The lesson mode should only be used after the entire game has been played.

Stuck in a Dark Place reminds players that “a stolen kiss isn’t romantic — it’s assault”

Each chapter has a different scenario that offers a great point for discussion on where a line should be drawn and encourages women (and men!) to speak up against abuse.

Players of Stuck in a Dark Place will solve several puzzles to proceed through its story.

Reoccurring Themes (Sensitive Material Warning)

While sexual abuse is very hard for many women and men to talk about, it’s a talk that has to happen in order for us as people and as a society to progress. I was even able to relate to a few situations in the game personally.

Respecting consent is just as important in fostering trust between people as is being there for them. Without listening to someone’s personal wishes and respecting their feelings, we are setting ourselves up to lose a potential partner or friend.

One of the chapters recalls a moment when a randomly boy walked up to Chloe and kissed her. The boy had been following her around for a bit in school. Her friends, of course, blew it off because he was “cute.”

I think this situation is one many young women can relate to and happens more often than people realize in school environments. A lot of our media makes it seem romantic to be spontaneous but the game does a great job at pointing out how a kiss without consent was not acceptable to Chloe when it happened to her.

The media makes it seem romantic to be spontaneous but the game does a great job pointing out how a kiss without consent is not acceptable in real life.

Stuck in a Dark Place also goes over workplace harassment.

While the situation shown with Chloe is an extreme case of workplace harassment, it happens every day to many men and women. Oftentimes, a job can be the difference between having food for the week or your family going hungry.

Many people in today’s economy have a huge fear of losing their job due to the overwhelming number of applicants in the job market. Due to that, abuse of power has become more common in the workplace. Abusive management will use this leverage to get away with many acts that are clearly inappropriate (and sometimes illegal). Often times, as shown when Chloe is an intern, they will target those with the greatest need for the job or who are inexperienced.

Sonia provides guidance to Chloe – and players – about consent throughout the game.

The last two situations I want to cover both dealt with Chloe being sexually assaulted.

The first scenario shows Chloe being taken advantage of while she was too drunk to provide consent. The boy she had started dating saw that she couldn’t speak up and took her into the bushes to have sex.

Later in her life, Chloe has an abusive husband who incorrectly claims marriage provides eternal consent. Neither of these scenarios are consensual but in both situations Chloe falls into a victim-blaming mindset. Victim blaming is very common in these situations with many abuse victims feeling they should not speak up or should stay with the partner who has sexually assaulted them.

Although these scenarios are difficult to stomach it’s important that people recognize that these nonconsensual acts are unfortunately common.

Getting Into a Better Place

The game does explain that what Chloe did with her student was wrong as well. It also shows that abuse by the men in her life eventually led her to take on her student as a partner continuing the chain of broken consent.

More than anything though, the game showed Chloe’s path to hope for a better future. It constantly pushed the point that while it’s hard to fight back in these situations, there are many laws in place that we can use to protect us against abusers.

The game wants you to know that you always have a right to push back against sexual assault and that while something as simple as a kiss may not be a big deal to others, what’s really important is how the situation makes you feel. Your body is your own – don’t let anyone take advantage of it or make you feel like should just go with the flow. There is always help available for you.

You are not alone.

Stuck in a Dark Place covers a wide variety of scenarios about consent but is not appropriate for all ages.

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Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play Stuck in a Dark Place, a serious game about consent

Developed by: Another Kind
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Price: Free
Language: English
Age Rating: Teen

More information about Stuck in a Dark Place 

► Get Stuck in a Dark Place on the iTunes Store 

► Play Stuck in a Dark Place in your browser 

► Watch a video trailer about Stuck in a Dark Place

April 2024 is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (#SAAM)

For SAAM 2024, this game is a great way to start conversations about consent and its importance.

What are your plans to learn about consent during the Awareness Month?

Talking about consent with teenagers isn’t always easy. Teaching them about consent can be even more challenging. The right resources can make both of these tasks easier.

Fortunately, the consent games from the Gaming Against Violence program produced by the nonprofit charity Jennifer Ann’s Group are a great way to engage young people about this important, but sensitive, topic. In 2024, as has been the case since 2001, April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, or SAAM. For #SAAM2024 we wanted to share an award-winning video game about consent with you called Crossing Boundaries.

Crossing Boundaries

Travelling the World

Even if it’s something like trying a new food, “no means no!”

As the game clearly shows, the issue of consent extends beyond the realm of dating and sex to include anything that affects your personal space, will, or body.

You Can’t Script a Real Situation

And remember, even if it’s not about a relationship, consent matters! Even seemingly inconsequential matters like tricking somebody to eat food that they don’t want, “no means no!”

I wish Crossing Boundaries was available when I was a student!

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Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Play Crossing Boundaries

Developed by: Testudo Games
Produced by: Jennifer Ann's Group
Published by: Life Love Publishing
Price: Free (No Ads. No in-app purchases.)
Language: English
Age Rating: Rated 12+

More information about Crossing Boundaries  
► Get Crossing Boundaries on the iTunes Store  
► Crossing Boundaries is available at Amazon 
► Play Crossing Boundaries in your web browser  
► Watch a video trailer about Crossing Boundaries

Serious Video Games Helping to Tackle Serious Issues

Grace’s Diary is a great example of how intentionally designed video games can be effective at addressing serious issues.

Video games have been found effective at raising awareness and promoting violence prevention.

*Grace’s Diary* has clearly impacted many adolescents who have played it.

“When Grace’s mother tells her to get back in the car… and to not bother telling Natalie’s mother, I was absolutely appalled.”

“By the end I got to really despise Natalie’s boyfriend.”

“...this actually happens, and makes it so much more terrible…”

A broken phone is just one reminder of unhealthy relationship behavior in *Grace’s Diary*.

These are just some of the comments from players of a game called Grace’s Diary. Unlike many of the more mainstream games, Grace’s Diary doesn’t feature mining, materials, shooting, or random dance moves. Instead, Grace’s Diary follows the protagonist, Grace, as she reflects on and tries to speak with her friend Natalie about Natalie’s relationship with her abusive boyfriend, Ken.

Real quotes from players:

“This game will probably be so helpful for me and my friends later on. I just hope that won’t happen to any of us.”

“… we know or will know a Natalie at some point in our lives, or are/will become a Natalie ourselves.”

“… getting the message out… that violent and controlling relationships are not normal or acceptable is fundamentally important.”

Grace sharing the National Dating Abuse Helpline number with her friend Natalie.

An initiative of the Gaming Against Violence program from the non-profit Jennifer Ann’s Group, Grace’s Diary is one of their many games which are targeted at informing and educating players around issues related to abusive dating behavior. Although most of the group’s serious video games address teen dating violence (TDV), they also cover related subjects like consent, healthy relationships, and the impact of peer pressure and social media.

While Natalie’s story is revealed through a series of observations, dialogue choices and point-and-click-puzzles, the charity is not limited to any one set approach. The video games they publish tackle the issues from a variety of genres including dating-sims, lo-fi RPGs, persuasive art, and escape-the-room simulators.

Important exceptions however are first-person-shooter and fighting games, which run counter to the non-violence message Jennifer Ann’s Group is trying to promote.

Grace writes memos in her diary throughout the game.

With a number of recent studies highlighting the pressing concern of TDV, as well as the difficulties educational institutions have had in successfully addressing it, TDV video games are seen by the group as an effective tool to help tackle the shortfall.

“Abusive dating behaviour is a nuanced and sensitive subject,” Drew Crecente, founder and executive director of Jennifer Ann’s Group explains. “What the research has shown is that traditional learning methods alone aren’t sufficient to address it. Adolescents often don’t feel comfortable discussing dating – especially dating abuse – with their parents, let alone with teachers; if we can’t get the conversation started then raising awareness and promoting prevention is incredibly difficult.”

if we can’t get the conversation started then raising awareness and promoting prevention is incredibly difficult

Lack of Awareness is a Critical Problem

Lack of awareness around the problem is a key issue, with one parental survey finding that 81% of participants either didn’t believe TDV was an issue, or admitting that they didn’t know it was an issue (Women’s Health, 2004).

This is despite another study showing that over 40% of U.S. students have been in an abusive relationship by the time they graduate from college, with nearly 1.5 million high school students physically abused by a dating partner every year (Forke, et al., 2008).

The challenges with tackling abusive dating behaviours unfortunately don’t stop there. Another study found that among teens who had been in an abusive relationship, only 32% confided in a parent. Of those that confided, 78% then went on to stay in the relationship despite the advice of their parent (Liz Claiborne Inc., 2009).

If you play *Grace’s Diary*, be aware that there are three possible endings.

For Educators

As for addressing the issue in a traditional educational setting, fewer than half of state schools in the U.S. are either required or encouraged to include TDV in their curriculum. In addition, even in those states where legislation has been passed requiring the development of safety plans, enforcement of protective orders, and education of students, a lack of funding has proved an issue for some school districts with implementation of these measures hindered as a result.

Even in school systems which have been able to implement TDV programs the results have been disappointing, with a recent review concluding that they were not affecting “to a significant extent” TDV perpetration and victimisation behaviours (De La Rue, et al. 2016).

This is where video games come in. By championing games that explore and dissect abusive dating behaviours, and making them free and readily available, the Gaming Against Violence program from Jennifer Ann’s Group works to draw on some of the powerful features of gaming to turn them to their advantage.

“Gaming plays a significant role in many teenagers’ lives,” says Drew, “and we’ve found that by tapping into that we can effectively help guide and nurture prosocial behaviour.

“Video games are engaging, they enable players to explore and progress at their own pace, and they present scenarios in a way that is contextually interesting and highly relatable. These are qualities any educational resource should aspire to and is an objective we thought worth pursuing.

“The research around TDV video games validates this stance. By providing these as free resources for schools and classrooms we can help encourage TDV programs where there previously weren’t any, as well as strengthen those that already exist.”

Studies investigating the results of TDV video games on educational development have confirmed that compared to control groups TDV game players show a significant improvement in attitude relating to relationship abuse and gender norms. One study concluded that TDV players were “less accepting of angry behaviours” in relationships as compared to players of the control game (Jacobs, 2017).

For Parents Too

The benefits of TDV video games aren’t just limited to the classroom either. Part of the concept that Jennifer Ann’s Group promotes is the ability to nurture and encourage conversations at home as well.

*Grace’s Diary* challenges game players to “make the call” in this award winning game

“As a parent it can be very awkward trying to start conversations about abusive dating behaviour; even harder than some of the other more well-known ‘difficult talks’ like alcohol, drugs, and sex,” says Drew.

“To have that kind of conversation, and at the young ages that we’re now finding it’s required, it can be tough for a parent to even know where to begin.

“With TDV games, parents can first play through a game themselves, get their own education around the subject, then introduce their child to the same game. The dynamic of the conversation subsequently changes.

“For the child, it doesn’t feel like it’s a talk focused on them and their behavior, but instead a talk about the characters and actions in the game; that change in perspective removes a lot of the pressure. This makes it easier for parents and their kids to focus on the problematic issues we are addressing through these games and from there we can encourage a real, constructive dialogue.”

it can be tough for a parent to even know where to begin

Even if parents aren’t yet ready to engage, if a child is going through their own personal experience of TDV or abuse the games are still beneficial. By demonstrating that what they’re facing is not an isolated issue affecting them and them alone, and that the behaviour is neither healthy nor acceptable, it can help them to understand that they are not powerless in the face of it.

And for Teens

For teenagers who have not experienced TDV or other abusive dating behaviours (problems which can affect all adolescents regardless of gender, socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, or sexuality) it also helps reduce the chance they ever will.

A poster in Grace’s Diary includes ten warning signs of an abusive relationship

Play now	Download for Windows	jag.itch.io/graces-diary
Development	GP Touch	@himatako (Twitter)
Produced by	Jennifer Ann’s Group	@stopTDV (Mastodon)
Published by	Life Love Publishing	@LifeLovePublish (Mastodon)
RightRating™	Everyone	No ads. No in-app purchases. No loot boxes. No privacy tracking.

* If you or anyone you know is a victim of abusive dating behaviour, at any time, it is urged you seek help at the earliest opportunity. In the U.S., those needing assistance can contact the National Dating Violence Helpline at 1-866-331-9474.

February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month and April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

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Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity [EIN: 20-4618499].

Consent Game ADRIFT Turns Five!

First released in 2017, the beautifully crafted consent game ADRIFT has received several minor updates for its fifth anniversary.

In recognition of its five-year anniversary, ADRIFT receives some updates.

ADRIFT 1.4.0 is now available

First released in 2017, the beautifully crafted ADRIFT has received several minor updates for its fifth anniversary:

Credit screen has been corrected with current information.
Additional resources added to include helpline information access outside of the U.S.
Behind-the-scene changes to support consistent experience across platforms.
Preparation of Apple Pay integration to allow online donations based on platform.
Minor text changes to better support, among other things, classroom use.
Additional soundFX and background music.
Modified splash screen.
Changes to tutorial section to match existing mobile platform experience.
Other minor changes throughout to match existing experience on other platforms.
Incorporation of game fonts into the game to limit tracking in support of user privacy.

Currently, ADRIFT 1.4.0 is only available via itch.io for playing in a web browser.

We are actively working to make this new version available for iOS and Android devices soon. Stay tuned.

More helplines have been added to the new version of *ADRIFT*

Although we have tested this new version we are a very small organization with very limited resources. Please let us know if you encounter any problems.

We are eager to make more changes to ADRIFT based on user feedback. Please share ADRIFT, share your thoughts, and help us help you.

We appreciate the tremendous support and recognition that ADRIFT has received since 2017. We look forward to the future and are excited to explore new ways to engage young people about consent and other important issues.

Visit https://jag.itch.io/adrift to play this new version of ADRIFT.

Thank you!

Thank you to Quinn Crossley, Andrew Connell, and everybody else who has worked on this wonderful game! It has been around the world-and-back in the past five years.

ADRIFT has touched many lives in its ongoing journey.

Support this work by donating online: 

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Gaming Against Violence is an award-winning program presented by Jennifer Ann's Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity [EIN: 20-4618499].