It’s been described as a place where children can hang out with the likes of Freddy Flamingo, Chatty Caracal and Molly Monkey. The backdrop: A tropical virtual reality paradise.
In June, the Northwestern Mutual Foundation took the wraps off Butterfly Island, a new virtual reality game that was developed with a specific group of children in mind — those battling cancer.
“It felt like we could do some real good with this one,” said Stig Haagensen, vice president of digital innovation at Northwestern Mutual.
The goal, Haagensen said, is for Butterfly Island to have a calming effect — a concept perhaps best represented by the various components of the game.
Players have a number of options, including stops at a lemonade stand on the island to gather treasure or points. Other prospects include sitting on the beach and watching the waves lap up on the shore.
“This seems like an opportunity to take the stress and anguish away,” Haagensen said of the goal behind Butterfly Island.
Childhood cancer is one of the causes where the foundation, Northwestern Mutual’s philanthropic arm, has allocated its resources.
Since its introduction in 2012, the Northwestern Mutual Childhood Cancer Program has forged partnerships with organizations like the Southeastern Wisconsin Ronald McDonald House and Alex’s Lemonade Stand.
A few of Northwestern Mutual’s employees hatched the idea behind Butterfly Island in 2016, Haagensen said. From there, the concept took flight with a few additional collaborative maneuvers.
“It looked really interesting,” Haagensen said of the initial pitch.
Digital Iris, a team of creators, artists and developers, created the game and its VR features. Along the way, Haagensen said Northwestern Mutual also reached out to behavioral psychologists to ensure the game was well suited for the target user.
The planning process, which Haagensen said took four to six months to implement, also includes a number of authentic touches. Case in point: The children in the Ronald McDonald House of Southeastern Wisconsin created the butterflies featured in the game.
Butterfly Island, available at the Google Play Store, works with Google Cardboard and other certified viewers. The game also works in conjunction with Xbox bluetooth controllers.
Disclaimer: Northwestern Mutual is a founding partner of Wisconsin Inno.
