The end of oil is just a game

New combat videogame depicts a world at war over rapidly dwindling crude supplies. But what’s the message players walk away with?

…While Frontlines: Fuel of War is one of the first video games to capitalize on the doom-and-gloom scenario of what might happen when the world runs out of oil, it’s not the only video game focusing on energy as oil prices rise, developing nations use more and more crude, and the world grapples with global warming fears.

DeLise chose oil as a story line because “energy seems to be a hot topic, and it seems to be getting worse. When stuff is in the news, it gets people involved, and they want to know more about it.”


The peak oil theory – that is, that oil production has already peaked or will do so in the next few years, followed by widespread social disruption – has been gaining ground in recent years.

Most oil industry analysts say peak oil production is many decades, if not hundreds of years away, and a transition to other sources will likely be more orderly than the scenario depicted in Frontline.

But a small and growing number of experts — some well-respected — say peak oil production is close or has happened and the transition will be much more painful than mainstream analysts predict.

Either way, DeLise said he hopes people will get more out of the game than just an adrenaline rush.

“If they play this game they will walk away thinking ‘wow, energy is a problem,” he said.

CNNMoney.com