In Deep Water

There may be more plastic than fish in the ocean, by weight, by 2050

In Deep Water invites players to explore an artfully sculpted digital marine biorama inspired by Aotearoa New Zealand’s fragile aquatic ecosystems. Blending rigorous scientific research with delightful, exploratory gameplay, this sim-game is grounded in collaborations with real-world marine researchers who are working to understand and mitigate the impacts of plastic pollution.

Set within shallow coastlines and deep ocean waters, players use a curious, retro-futuristic control device-resembling something from a rogue scientist’s garage or an abandoned observatory—to navigate waterways, scan for data beacons, and track tagged marine species. These levers, buttons, dials, and sliders create novel and tactile modes of interaction that encourage slow, curious exploration.

More than 90% of plastics ever produced have never been recycled

As players uncover lost data left behind by negligent corporations and concerned researchers, they come to understand how microplastics are affecting birds, kelp, whales, and other marine life. The experience highlights how thriving environments can become desolate through human action—and inaction—while also inviting players to imagine alternative futures in which recovery is still possible.

In Deep Water sources its environmental data from microbiologists and scientific groups focused on Aotearoa’s unique waterways. Through play, it enables meaningful public engagement with ecological research, contributing to broader awareness of the urgent challenges facing marine biodiversity. A prototype of In Deep Water was featured in the 2025 ACMI Audience Lab and marks the beginning of a series of Games of Consequence titles dedicated to capturing the vitality of Oceania water biomes—before they are irrevocably changed.

Thanks to: Dr Olga Pantos leading the Miicroplastics group at PHF Science Dr Samantha Ladewig and her team at the Leigh Marine Research Lab

Quotes from: World Economic Forum, Ellen MacArthur Foundation and McKinsey & Company, (2016) The New Plastics Economy: [Rethinking the future of plastics] (https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/the-new-plastics-economy-rethinking-the-future-of-plastics)

Roland Geyer et al. (2017) ,Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made.Sci. Adv.3,e1700782 DOI:10.1126/sciadv.1700782