I'm very happy to announce that my studio Persuasive Games has just released Airport Insecurity, a mobile game about inconvenience and the tradeoffs between security and rights in American airports.

The game is available for purchase for the low, low price of $3.99, and it's currently compatible with Nokia Series 60 handsets (that includes the popular 6600, 6620, 6630, 7610, and even the ill-fated N-Gage, among many others if I'm not mistaken). Those of you with Series 40 or non-Nokia handsets: encourage your friends to buy a copy so we can afford to port the game to your device. Or buy one yourself and play it in a free desktop emulator (results may vary).

While the government wants you to believe that increased protection and reduced rights are necessary to protect you from terrorism, the effectiveness of airport security practices is uncertain. The game features 138 U.S. airports and three play modes: Arcade, Practice, and Endless Queue. Players are encouraged to try their current travel itinerary while in line at security. The game's rules are based on government findings about TSA airport security practices since 2002, including everything we could cull from now-classified GAO reports.

The full press release can be found below.

Persuasive Games Announces the Release of the Mobile Game 'Airport Insecurity'

Persuasive Games, a leading developer of videogames for social change, education, and persuasion, announces the release of the groundbreaking mobile game “Airport Insecurity”.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) November 8, 2005 -– Persuasive Games, a leading developer of videogames for social change, education, and persuasion, announces the release of the mobile game “Airport Insecurity”. “Airport Insecurity” is compatible with select Nokia devices and available for purchase at http://www.persuasivegames.com.

Airport Insecurity is a game about inconvenience and the tradeoffs between security and rights in American airports. While the government wants you to believe that increased protection and reduced rights are necessary to protect you from terrorism, the effectiveness of airport security practices is uncertain.

Ian Bogost, Partner, and Game Designer at Persuasive Games, commented “Airport Insecurity simulates standing in line, and calls attention to our oblivious acceptance of security practices. The point of the game is to draw attention to the relationship between our perception of security, the reality of its effectiveness, and what rights we're willing to give up on faith. The government has classified negative GAO reports on the TSA, and we culled as much data as we could from news archives to recreate a representation of how airport security currently works in America. We hope the game will challenge citizens to ask harder questions about the relationship between policy and civil rights.”

Airport Insecurity allows you to explore these issues in context: the game's rules are based on government reports about airport security practices since 2002. To consider the game’s implications fully, players are encouraged to play the game while waiting in line at airport security.

“We believe Airport Insecurity is the first mobile game to tackle these issues through a game experience” said Gerard LaFond, Partner, Persuasive Games. “This is the type of game that makes a lot of sense if you spend any time in airports.”

For more information about Persuasive Games or to learn more about our games and research, please log onto our blog at www.watercoolergames.org or visit our web site at www.persuasivegames.com

About Persuasive Games – (www.persuasivegames.com) Persuasive Games is a leading developer of video games for social change, education, and persuasion. Our games influence players to take action through gameplay. Games communicate differently than other media; they not only deliver messages, but also simulate experiences. While often thought to be just a leisure activity, games have also become rhetorical tools. Past clients include: Cold Stone Creamery, The Illinois State GOP, Chrysler/Dodge, Best Buy, Dean for America, The Democratic National Convention Committee, Telecom Partners, Cisco Systems, and many others.

Think games are just for fun? Think again.