The IndieBeat: Using games to shine a light on sex trafficking

Leena Kejriwal started as a photographer and installation artist, but two years ago, she made her first foray into the world of game development with her debut title Missing: Game for a Cause. All of her creative work across mediums centers on one sobering topic: sex trafficking in India. And by creating a game, she found that she could reach more people than ever with her message.

Missing is a free short role-playing game that’s available on PC, iOS, and Android. It’s on Itch.io as well as on the Apple App Store and Google Play, and since its 2016 launch, it has picked up accolades, like the Indie Game of the Year award from the annual tech event National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) in India. It follows the story of Champa, a girl who wakes up disoriented in a locked room. She soon learns that she’s been sold to a brothel. She’s trapped, and it’s up to you to help her navigate her horrifying new situation.