Escape Fake
Escape Fake is an immersive augmented reality (AR) game that teaches media literacy by engaging young people in a dynamic, story-driven experience. Developed by the Austrian studio Polycular together with partners across Europe, it helps players recognise fake news, understand online manipulation, and build resilience against disinformation.
What is Escape Fake?
Escape Fake uses AR technology to turn media education into an interactive escape room adventure. Players, guided by a virtual “quantum reality hacker” named Hannah, solve puzzles and uncover clues that expose fake news, deepfakes, spam bots and online privacy risks. The game is available on smartphones and tablets and is designed to reflect the habits and expectations of today’s digital generation. Beyond the game itself, Escape Fake offers a full educational ecosystem with teacher training, a free educator toolkit, school workshops, an online course, exhibitions and a growing European Community of Practice where teachers and students co-create new media literacy tools. The project continues to evolve with new game chapters and is co-designed directly with young people to ensure authenticity and relevance.
Impact
The game has been downloaded over 130,000 times and currently attracts around 1,000 players per month. Its travelling exhibition has reached 16,000 visitors, while over 17,000 people have been engaged through trainings, workshops and showcases. The initiative has trained 500 teachers in person and 885 through its online course, with 2,000 educators joining its teacher community. More than 1,500 students have participated in hands-on media literacy workshops. Escape Fake is available in seven European languages and is expanding further, with educators and learners in multiple countries now contributing to its development.
Why is it a good practice
Escape Fake is a powerful example of how immersive technology can help address complex social challenges like disinformation and online manipulation. It meets young people where they are by combining game-based learning with real-world media education. The initiative does more than raise awareness: it builds practical skills in critical thinking, digital safety and responsible media use. Its strong focus on co-creation empowers teachers and students to shape the learning experience together, making it highly adaptable and relevant. With its innovative approach, European reach and commitment to sustainability, Escape Fake is a model for engaging, scalable and impactful media literacy education.
