Nowadays, staying safe online is more important than ever. As technology advances, cyber threats have evolved, becoming more sophisticated and frequent, making it crucial for individuals, especially young people, to understand how to protect themselves. Education on cybersecurity practices is vital; not only does it empowers the youth to protect their personal information, recognise potential threats, and develop a healthy scepticism about what they encounter online. It can also spark their interest in cybersecurity and open up exciting career opportunities in a field that is in high demand. That's where Hackenator.lu comes in.

Hackenator came to life thanks to a great team effort that brought together folks from WIDE ANDCO, LMDDC, and the gaming programme of the Lycée des Arts et Métiers (LAM), supported by some of the top cybersecurity experts in Luxembourg including (in alphabetical order):  

Benoit Fortemps (LAM); Kristina Gray (Women Cyber Force); Benjamin Joly (National Cybersecurity Competence Centre Luxembourg); Cédric Mauny (Telindus Luxembourg); Merlin Rastoder (BEE SECURE); Pascal Steichen (Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity).

The project was funded by the Luxembourg National Research Fund FNR. From WIDE, Emeline Petit worked with Kayleigh van Dongen, sharing their design skills - and great sense of humor - while Tanya Endshpill provided invaluable insights into educational design. At LMDDC, Jimmy Fischer led the team, with game developer Juri Pelzer and game designer Gira Szakmár bringing creative ideas. Our awesome interns, Chi Kiet Phu and Benedetta Lacitignola from LAM, added their own fresh perspectives.

All together, we have worked for over six months to create a game that is both fun and educational, giving players an experience that is truly worth their time. As well as using industry-standard tools such as Unity and Photoshop, we tried out cutting-edge AI solutions to accelerate development and introduce innovative features to the project. While the experimental process required a lot of trial and error, it challenged us to think creatively and refine our approach- and the final result speaks for itself!Hackenator is not just a game; it's a learning adventure. Players dive into situations where they have to deal with pretend cyber threats, turning tricky cybersecurity ideas into fun challenges. As they go along, they get real practice in recognising and dealing with cyber risks, building up their knowledge bit by bit. By turning cybersecurity into an interactive journey, Hackenator keeps players interested and makes learning about digital safety both exciting and relatable.

We have created characters that teens 13 and up can connect with, so they can see themselves in the story. These characters face challenges, make choices, and handle relationships just like in real life, so their journey feels real and engaging. To keep things friendly  and not overwhelming or threatening, we set the story in a futuristic setting. This way, players can learn about cybersecurity in a cool, imaginery world that feels different from their own, but still gives them practical knowledge they can use every day.

The game emphasises learning by doing. Players receive quick feedback on their actions, helping them to tweak strategies, fix mistakes, and build confidence as they go. This hands-on approach turns big ideas into real skills, making cybersecurity easy to understand for everyone. We knew that people learn in different ways and have different levels of interest. So we built three layers of learning into the game. The first layer is for those who want a simple experience - they can click through the game without too much interaction but still pick up important tips. They'll learn things like how to create strong passwords, how to spot risky emails, or how to avoid cyberbullying - useful stuff they can use right away.

As players delve deeper into the characters and story, Hackenator allows them to explore more advanced topics. By paying attention to the dialogue and getting into the plot, they can learn about things like how encryption works and the history of cybersecurity. Not only does this make the game more interesting, but it may also spark curiosity that could lead to an interest in IT fields and help address the growing problem of IT skills shortages in Luxembourg as the digital economy grows, which was recently raised by the National Employment Agency ADEM. 

Learners who are most interested in the topic can move on to the more formal learning part of the game. As they progress, they can collect small robots that unlock lessons on different cybersecurity topics. These lessons give access to a range of more complex, expert-verified  learning content. The lectures remain available even after the game is over, so learners can return to them at any time. By covering many aspects of cybersecurity, this part sets the stage for future learning and may inspire some to consider the field when they decide to enter the job market.

We also have fun mini-games at the end of each level to keep things interesting and give players an extra reward. These games offer different types of gameplay mechanics, but they're not just about entertainment. Each of them relates back to the main topic of the level, giving the player another chance to practice what they have learnt in a new and engaging way. Players can identify cybersecurity risks or find ways to block viruses in a fun way to reinforce the lessons - and have even more fun!

Making Hackenator was as interesting as the game itself. For our team - a mix of seasoned pros and fresh talents, game enthusiasts, and lifelong learners, experts, and newbies in the cyber world - it was more than just a project. Whatever our age or background, we found ourselves learning alongside the audience we hope to inspire. Exploring the risks and challenges of the digital world showed us how quickly digital threats change and how important it is to stay ahead. With Hackenator, we have made cybersecurity accessible and fun, turning a tough subject into an adventure that clicks with our young public. This blend of enjoyable gameplay, useful skills, and deep learning not only helps to keep us safe online, but also reminds us all of the important role we can play in shaping a safer digital future.To conclude, we are very grateful for the media coverage Hackenator has received. It’s truly inspiring to see our hard work recognized by recognised national outlets such as Le Quotidien and Chronicle.lu. We appreciate the journalists and experts that have taken the time to share our story, helping us reach a wider audience and further our impact.