Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ

We spoke to Anna Doble, Online Editor at Radio 1 Newsbeat about their new game, BallotBots.

So Anna, tell us about Ballotbots.

Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Newsbeat has relaunched as a digital brand for young people and this simple yet addictive retro-style game is a key part of our digital offering in the run-up to Election 2015.

Sounds fun, so what were you trying to achieve?

We wanted to try something completely new – and show that a game can help first time voters learn key facts about UK elections and understand their part in the democratic process.

Did it turn out as you expected?

Yes. BallotBots is a smart and addictive desktop and mobile game that also teaches players key election facts.

How did this project differ from your day job?

Working on the gameplay, characters, music and editorial possibilities of Ballot Bots was a new creative experience for me. And one I had to balance with my role as a digital news leader. The technical and project management aspects of the process were all completely new challenges.

How was it made?

Nothing out of the ordinary for making a game, it’s built in HTML 5 and we worked with a third party, Game the News, who did the build.

What do you think audiences will make of it?

I think audiences will see BallotBots as a cheeky, fun game that gives them a better understanding of the election process.

What do you hope to learn from this idea?

Our main aim is to see how games can be used to help the Newsbeat audience better understand a complex news topic, such as politics.