National Geographic

Fishin'  Decision

Format: Installation c.2015
Fig 577a. National Geographic
Fishin' Decision

Anglers, bait your virtual hooks and enjoy a day of relaxation and learning on National Geographic Museum’s in-house lake. Reel in your Monster Fish and decide its fate without fear of getting  wet!

It’s the classic angler’s dilemma: keep the fish you just caught, or release it back into the wild? Keeping a fish that meets all of the established requirements can mean a tasty meal or an impressive trophy, but getting caught with a catch that doesn’t qualify can result in a hefty fine or worse. Many Monster Fish live in fragile ecosystems, and as humans go about their daily lives, the unintentional impacts of modern life can be devastating to the fish population. The National Geographic Museum sought to teach visitors how to fish responsibly, so they turned to the amateur ichthyologists at NeoPangea for help. Fishin’ Decision, an interactive touchscreen exhibit, challenges fishing fans to make the right call when a fish flops into their boat.

Fishin’ Decision players use intuitive touch controls to position a virtual fisherman and his boat over a lurking fish, reel it in, and learn what they’ve caught. Presented with the fish’s size, species, and a catch summary for the day, the player must quickly decide to keep or release their catch based on personal knowledge or nearby reference charts. The experience features a dozen different freshwater fish and two less-than-desirable surprise catches, testing the wits of even the most knowledgeable anglers by randomizing variables for each play session. By offering anglers the opportunity to learn and practice the finer points of fishing regulations in a consequence-free environment, this interactive could actually ensure Monster Fish survive for generations.

Project Services


  • User Experience
  • Conceptualization
  • R and D Prototyping
  • Animation
  • Illustration
  • Sound Design
  • Video Production
  • Design
  • Development

Reel It In!