RAVENOUS!! grrrr - plus, the Superstruct Meetup (you can still come!)

One thing I'm really proud of -- Superstruct is REALLY preparing its players for the future -- by engaging them in thinking and talking about some of the biggest, most potentially world-changing issues that SHOULD be on our collective radar but aren't quite yet. Issues like disruptions to the food supply chain, the coming wave of climate change refugees, and "social terrorism" in the form of mass network griefing.

That's what the Institute for the Future specializes in, of course -- helping people play attention to what's on the horizon before we're full-on wrestling with it. And it's something World Without Oil did amazingly well, too. (Hardly anyone was thinking about the reality of the end of cheap, abundant oil back in the spring of 2007 when we ran the game -- more than a year later, finally everyone is grappling with it.)

To Superstruct's credit, I think, here's a fabulous article by Michael Pollan warning that the food chain disruption (exactly what the Superthreat RAVENOUS is all about!) is an issue we should be thinking about, but aren't.

With a suddenness that has taken us all by surprise, the era of cheap and abundant food appears to be drawing to a close. What this means is that you, like so many other leaders through history, will find yourself confronting the fact — so easy to overlook these past few years — that the health of a nation’s food system is a critical issue of national security. Food is about to demand your attention.

And that's just one reason that people who play Superstruct will be more ready to survive and make a difference in the future than anyone else! JOIN NOW and get ready for the future!

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Also: If you're interested in attending the Superstruct Meetup at the Institute for the Future on Monday October 20, we have room for folks to just show up. So consider youself invited, and here's a sneak preview!

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We can't wait to see you at the Superstruct meetup. This confirms your RSVP... and here is a sneak preview of the event! (And yes, if you have friends or colleagues who want to come but haven't RSVP'd yet -- feel free to bring them along!)

WHEN
*The meetup starts at 4:30 PM and goes 'til 6:00 PM. Get there early if you want to be sure to get some of the bootleg 2019 champagne -- we were only able to smuggle one magnum past the "Zero Tolerance - No Food Imports" picket line.
*At 6:00 PM, adventurous friends are invited to join us on a short downtown game mission as we embed 2019 artifacts in the real world. (The Analog Superthreat Warning System mission will last half an hour, and will earn you the superstruct badge of your choice! Find out more about the mission. If you want to make a flyer or poster in advance of the meetup, that's great! You can email me or yourself the digital file, or bring it on a thumbdrive, and we'll color print them for you at IFTF.

WHO
*We're expecting a small crowd of some of the most interesting future people we know, including:
-- Jamais Cascio, the Director of Impacts Analysis for the GLOBAL EXTINCTION AWARENESS SYSTEM;
--Steve Puma, manager of a 3D virtual think tank for sustainable management and our lead GENERATION EXILE guide;
--Kiyash Monsef, a senior member of XTV -- the alliance of blacklisted TV journalists and hackers dedicated to disseminating reliable information "by any platform necessary", and the producer of the SUPERTHREAT VIDEOS;
--and of course, FUTURE YOU! (If you don't know who you'll be in 2019 yet, don't worry -- we'll help you figure it out.)
*We'll also be joined by a SUNDANCE CHANNEL crew. The event is being filmed by Sundance for a short TV documentary about Superstruct. If you're willing to be interviewed or filmed playing the game, that's fantastic! Otherwise, keep in mind you will probably be in a least a few background shots.

WHERE
To get to IFTF, check safe face-to-face celebrations!
*Due to the RAVENOUS superthreat, we encourage you to bring a snack to share.

Thanks for helping us invent the future. We'll see you at IFTF!

Jane McGonigal
Director of Game Research & Development at the Institute for the Future
Founder of the Make Your Own Reality Network, which is celebrating its 5-year anniversary in 2019