Gregory Hansell wants to make the world a better place, and he wants to do it with video games.

Hansell is the chief product officer at A Better World, a family-run company that’s looking to raise $200,000 on crowdfunding site Indiegogo for a virtual-world tablet game it reckons can make a real difference.

A Better World for Kids aims to teach children about kindness, giving, anti-bullying, recycling, and healthy eating — things that other kids games neglect to do, according to Hansell.


It’s a nod to the increasingly popular school of Positive Psychology, started by Dr. Martin Seligman in 1998, which examines how to help people lead happy, healthy lives. Studies in the area “show that being altruistic and having a positive attitude lead to greater personal happiness and well-being,” Hansell told me via email. It’s something he feels is relevant to kids, and he’s hoping that encouraging altruistic behaviour helps “bring them joy and a positive attitude.”