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Akoha, a game of altruism and kindness

Performing random acts of kindness wins you karma points in the Akoha video game.

Akoha game cards

If people played more, the world would be a better place. That’s the view of Austin Hill and Alex Eberts, longtime friends and tech entrepreneurs. And that’s why they’ve created Akoha, a video game that encourages random acts of kindness by mixing online and real-world play. Akoha (meaning “gift” or “donation” in the Maori language of New Zealand) players must perform “missions,” such as buying coffee for strangers, giving someone flowers, calculating their carbon footprints or supporting public schools. When players complete their missions, they pass them on to others, inviting those folks to play and take the game forward. Online, players can log “karma” points, unlock rewards, interact with other players and even gain “superpowers.”

Hill, a Canadian, started Akoha to celebrate the memory of a younger brother who died of cancer. “Everyone has a story,” he says. “Everyone wants to see something changed in the world. I thought, What if everyone had a voice?” He joined forces with Eberts, a game developer looking to get away from the violence in the industry. Considering that tens of millions of people are playing video games, Hill and Eberts see the medium as a perfect platform for engaging people in shared social goals. Though Akoha is still in beta, some 3,000 missions have already been completed in 37 countries. Each one raises money for philanthropic projects; players are currently fundraising for a school in Nepal. “One of our beta players reported that she is happier, she smiles at people more and her skepticism has disappeared,” says Hill. “We aspire to replicate that on a large scale.”

Carmel Wroth

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