Developed by E-Line Media, the creators behind Never Alone in partnership with BBC Studios, Beyond Blue (2020) draws heavy inspiration from the footage and eco-philosophies of Blue Planet II. The game frames its environmental representation through a near-future narrative starring Mirai, a deep-sea biologist leading a small, high-tech research team.
Beyond Blue presents a relationship with nature defined by non-invasive stewardship and empathetic listening. Rather than treating the ocean as a space to conquer or mine for resources, humanity’s (ideal) role is framed as an observer trying to understand a vulnerable partner. The primary way players interact with marine life is through a specialized scanning visor. For example, when approaching a pod of Sperm Whales, players swim alongside them to scan their bodies, log biometric data, and deploy hydrophones to record their vocalizations. By tracking a specific mother whale and her calf over multiple dives, the game creates an emotionally invested narrative of care and interspecies kinship.
The game champions ocean literacy (Leitão et al. 2025), converting scientific protocols into game progression loops. As players explore different zones, from sunlight waters to the twilight and midnight zones, scans unlock entries in an in-game “ocean log.” These are not just ‘flavor text’ but accurate taxonomic descriptions of marine species, their behavior and ecosystemic functions. Returning to the submarine hub unlocks “ocean insights”, a series of 16 short, high-production value mini-documentaries featuring real-world marine scientists discussing topics like coral bleaching, hydrothermal vents, and deep-sea noise pollution.
The narrative explicitly wrestles with what a sustainable future looks like in the face of resource scarcity and corporate greed, asking whether sustainable technologies can scale fast enough to protect fragile habitats. The plot shifts when Mirai discovers a series of unauthorized, highly disruptive underwater acoustic signatures. Investigation reveals an illegal, deep-sea mining operation. The mechanics shift from peaceful observation to investigative journalism; players deploy autonomous drones to trace toxic plumes and document the physical scarring of the seabed, illustrating how industrial intervention disrupts migration corridors and communication paths for marine mammals.
Beyond Blue exhibits both positive and less effective design choices. By putting the player directly into the diving suit, the game aims to relieve eco-anxiety and stimulate a sense of wonder. Tracking individual animals across their lifecycles bridges the psychological distance that often makes ocean conservation difficult for the general public to grasp; however, as highlighted e.g. by (Seymour 2018), this sense of awe and wonder, reminiscent of the ecological sublime, may also come across as stilted by now due to overuse and a discrepancy with the real-world threats to ocean integrity.
The game can act as a valuable pedagogical tool for schools and casual players as it refuses to exaggerate or overly romanticize marine life. Bioluminescence, animal scales, and ecological interactions etc. are all grounded in contemporary science. Moreover, the game effectively visualizes invisible environmental threats, specifically noise pollution via acoustic visualization mechanics and micro-plastics, making these otherwise abstract concepts more tangible.
Yet, the game also relies heavily on highly advanced, almost ‘magical’ technology like infinite oxygen, ultra-light tracking suits and instantaneous scanning arrays. This frames environmental conservation as an elegant, clean endeavor, glossing over the lack of funding and legal complexities of real-world marine conservation.
Because the developers wanted to emphasize non-invasive interaction, the player has almost no agency to alter the system. They cannot stop or even hinder the illegal mining operation, clean up garbage, or change the trajectory of the ecosystem. The mechanics are inherently informational, i.e. consuming data, scanning an animal etc.
Unlike an active simulation game where player choices cause ecological systems to balance or collapse, Beyond Blue is a highly linear, scripted narrative. If players don’t scan an endangered animal, the ecosystem doesn’t suffer and the story simply waits the next ‘input’. This may misrepresent the complex, constantly unfolding, unpredictable and cascading feedback loops that define true ecological crises.
Leitão, Rui, Shige Yao, and Laura Guimarães. 2025. “An Augmented Reality Board Game to Work Ocean Literacy Dimensions.” Education and Information Technologies, ahead of print, April 9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-025-13519-3.
Seymour, Nicole. 2018. Bad Environmentalism: Irony and Irreverence in the Ecological Age. University of Minnesota Press.