Celebrated undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas has unveiled an initiative that pushes investigative reporting into new territory—gaming.

The project, Floodlight Gaming Connects Investigative Reporting, transforms real-life investigations into interactive experiences, allowing players to step into the shoes of journalists as they confront corruption, human rights abuses, and environmental crimes.

The initiative challenges traditional boundaries of journalism by engaging young, digitally savvy audiences through immersive storytelling.

Instead of reading or watching an investigation, participants can “play through” the dilemmas, risks, and ethical decisions that reporters face in exposing the truth.

“For years, my team and I have risked everything to uncover corruption,” Anas said. “But sustaining change also means telling the truth in ways that future generations can carry with them. Gaming offers a powerful way to achieve that.”

The project includes workshops bringing together journalists, human rights advocates, educators, and game developers.

Participants explore how investigative missions can be adapted into playable formats that both entertain and educate while fostering accountability.

The initiative was established by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), the Gabo Foundation, and Anima Interactive, with support from V-Ventures, SpielFabrique, Global Game Jam, Good Game Generation, and the International Game Developers Association (IGDA). Together, these partners provided the funding, mentorship, and creative support that made this innovation possible.

Floodlight Gaming Connects Investigative Reporting to Game Developers for Adaptation Into Interactive Media Experiences

 

“Hunting the Hunter” wins top award at inaugural Floodlight Investigative Journalism Gaming Summit

“Hunting the Hunter” by Berlin-based Greenwave Games won the top prize in Floodlight Gaming’s first global investigative journalism game jam. The winner receives $5,000 and a spot in SpielFabrique’s Launchpad Program, which offers individualized mentoring and support.

The winner was announced at the inaugural Floodlight Investigative Journalism Gaming Summit, held in Amsterdam on September 24 and live-streamed online. The Summit featured highlights from the game jam finalists as well as discussions between game developers and investigative journalists about storytelling and the crossover between the two industries.

"We launched Floodlight Gaming to give game developers all over the world exclusive access to top-notch investigative journalism about global organized crime and corruption,” said Floodlight Gaming and OCCRP Co-Founder Paul Radu. “We want to generate a new wave of games that gives developers free reign to create in the public interest. The games that were submitted through the jam were incredible and really elevated the reporting.”

Floodlight Gaming was established by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), the Gabo Foundation, and Anima Interactive, with support from V-Ventures, SpielFabrique, Global Game Jam, Good Game Generation, and the International Game Developers Association.

The winning game is based on an investigation by Anas Aremeyaw Anas from Ghana, “Hunting the Hunter: Infiltrating the Cocoa Smuggling Underworld of Ghana’s Western Border.” Anas went undercover to expose a deep-rooted network that sabotaged Ghana’s economy, deprived farmers, and threatened national security.

“Hunting the Hunter winning this award is a powerful reminder that storytelling and innovation can join forces to inspire the next generation,” Anas said. “This recognition affirms that the fight against corruption can engage hearts and minds far beyond traditional journalism. Above all, I hope it challenges young people everywhere to believe that they too can use their creativity and courage to make a difference.”

 

A jury selected five finalists from the fictionalized games submitted to the world’s first investigative journalism game jam. The four other finalists were:

• • Dark Money by Polyvale Studios, based on reporting by hundreds of journalists in the OCCRP network for the Laundromat series

• Echoes: El Salvador by Stijn Verstraete, based on reporting by Juan José Martínez d’Aubuisson

• Rise of Viktor Orban by Pol Grasland-Mongrain and Dylhan ‘Zhanko’ Phong, based on reporting by Andras Petho

• • Cocoa Capture by Leto du Plessis, Damian Grobler, Matthew Carlton, Kairan Moorlach, and Cale Adamson, based on reporting by Anas Aremeyaw Anas

“In an era of rampant misinformation, our roles as storytellers, developers, and journalists have never been more critical,” said Anima Interactive Founder Karla Reyes. “Video games are one of the most powerful mediums of our time for building empathy, bearing witness, and telling nuanced and complex truths that do not often dominate public discourse. We are grateful to all of the jam participants and our developer community for being an essential part of the Floodlight Investigative Journalism game jam.”

Developed by Bernard Lis and Chris Vogel, “Hunting the Hunter” puts the player into the role of an investigative journalist who uncovers a smuggling ring. The Floodlight Gaming jury called the game an “impressive prototype for an open world-game that delivers a great overall experience and good visuals.”

“I really enjoyed that we were able to ask our questions to the journalist,” said developer Vogel during the event. “It made our game so much deeper than it would have been otherwise.”