The Final Exam

In September 2024, Change The Ref, a nonprofit founded by Manuel and Patricia Oliver after the tragic loss of their son Joaquin in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, launched 'The Final Exam'. This groundbreaking video game challenges the narrative that violent video games contribute to real-world gun violence. Instead, it leverages the immersive power of gaming to educate players on life-saving gun legislation and motivate political action.

Objectives
Challenge Misconceptions: Counter the belief that video games incite gun violence by demonstrating their potential as educational tools.
Educate on Gun Legislation: Inform players about specific gun control bills that could prevent future tragedies.
Mobilize Advocacy: Empower a new generation to hold elected officials accountable and advocate for meaningful gun reform.

The Final Exam immerses players in a hyper-realistic survival scenario set in an American high school during a mass shooting. The gameplay, lasting approximately ten minutes—the average duration of such incidents—requires players to navigate the school, avoid the shooter, and collect five hidden legislative bills:
Assault Weapons Ban
Secure Storage (Ethan’s Law)
High-Capacity Magazine Ban
Universal Background Checks for All Gun Sales
Raising the Minimum Purchase Age

Collecting all five bills is essential to "survive" the game, symbolizing the real-life necessity of comprehensive gun legislation. The game incorporated real data from past school shootings to enhance realism. It avoids graphic violence, focusing instead on audio cues like gunfire, alarms, and heartbeats to convey urgency and fear.

'The Final Exam' has been recognized as an unprecedented approach in the gun control sector, tapping into the gaming audience for the first time and empowering a new generation to push for gun reform. By transforming a medium often blamed for violence into a tool for advocacy, the campaign has sparked conversations nationwide and inspired civic engagement among younger demographics.

The game exemplifies how innovative use of digital media can challenge prevailing narratives and drive social change. By confronting players with the realities of school shootings and the importance of legislative action, it serves as both a memorial to victims and a call to action for a safer future.