Environmental group joins game show too. With MOD "Flying Guardians," developed based on Microsoft Flight Simulator, they team up with Greenpeace to protect the Amazon rainforest
Note: the original Japanese article can be found at:
https://www.4gamer.net/games/464/G046401/20251010043/
Editorial Department: huan | 2025/10/10 10:00 (UTC)
At the Brasil Game Show 2025 (BGS2025) held in São Paulo, Brazil, there was a booth that made me pause in surprise. Instead of a game company logo, it bore Greenpeace’s emblem.
Why would an environmental organization be at a gaming convention? Upon asking, I learned they are developing game mods to help more people understand environmental protection and take action—through games. The centerpiece of this exhibition was “Flying Guardians,” a flight simulator mod. Unaware of this until then, I discovered it had already been released in April 2024 and allows players to fly over real Amazon rainforest terrain based on actual satellite imagery.
Spreading “Reality of the Amazon” Through Games
" Flying Guardians" was developed by Greenpeace Brasil using Microsoft Flight Simulator as its base. Its standout feature is the use of satellite data provided by Planet Labs PBC*, which enables accurate recreation of real Amazon regions on digital maps.
*An American satellite data company operating hundreds of Earth-observing satellites, capturing high-frequency images of surface changes.
Players pilot a Greenpeace-designed aircraft and can spot illegal logging and gold mining activity while flying over the Amazon. The satellite imagery reflects actual colors, textures, and changes in land surfaces—such as bare ground from deforestation, turbid rivers due to mining, or expanding excavation sites—all displayed realistically on screen. Players are able to observe these environmental changes with geographic coordinates, thanks to an integrated interface that allows them to record observation points and share findings on social media.
This transforms digital gameplay into tangible actions for environmental monitoring and awareness—effectively turning “playing games” into contributing to environmental protection.
I was surprised to learn that gold mining occurs in the Amazon, which appears to cause severe environmental pollution. Mercury is commonly used in refining at mining sites and often leaks into rivers, spreading through fish and shellfish to affect local communities. Other concerns include ecosystem destruction due to deforestation and altered river courses, as well as health impacts on Indigenous peoples and rising malaria cases.
According to a Greenpeace Brasil investigation, about 1,400 hectares of forest were lost in 2023 alone due to illegal mining activity. In the land of the Yanomami people (Indigenous group), over 20,000 miners (illegal intruders) entered during the past five years.
Meanwhile, the Amazon is the world’s largest tropical rainforest, spanning nine South American countries and covering roughly 5.5 million square kilometers—about 15 times the area of Japan. Often called “the lungs of Earth” because it produces around 20% of the planet’s oxygen, it is home to an estimated 390 billion trees and over 16,000 plant species.
The region also boasts astonishing biodiversity—over 2,200 fish species and more than 400 mammal species—and serves as the foundation of Indigenous cultures. However, in recent years, deforestation has worsened due to illegal logging, gold mining, and agricultural expansion—a situation this project aims to raise awareness about.
Although I regretted not being able to try playing the game itself at the exhibition, the concept of using games as a medium for nature conservation was truly intriguing. Staff wearing uniforms resembling forest guardians enthusiastically explained the initiative—prompting me to make the most of my visit to Brazil and take greater interest in this pressing issue.
" Flying Guardians" was already released in 2024 and can be downloaded for free from its official website. As a mod, you’ll first need Microsoft Flight Simulator—but if you’re inspired to stop forest destruction as a helicopter pilot, I highly recommend giving it a try.