🛫 🌎 Explore Global G4C Festivals, the Student Challenge, & More!

Celebrate 10 years of the G4C Student Challenge, dive into our international chapter's Festivals, and join new and exciting G4C programming!

Author

Games for Change
September 20, 2024

Welcome to the September newsletter! Pack your virtual bags because Games for Change is going on a world tour this fall! We’re bringing the power of gaming for good to five continents with our exciting lineup of international festivals. But that’s not all – we’re also celebrating 10 years of the G4C Student Challenge, offering new programming like the Verizon Innovative Learning Esports League, and last call for the Diverse Voices, New Stories Challenge. Plus, discover specially curated games for Hispanic Heritage Month and National Video Games Day. Take a quick break from Astrobot and join us on this global adventure! 🤖

— Team G4C

Grab your passport! This fall, the Games for Change Chapters will take you on a whirlwind tour of innovation, creativity, and positive impact. From Asia to Africa, Europe to the Americas, we’re uniting change-makers worldwide to explore how games can transform society. Here are the stops on our world tour:

🇿🇦 G4C Africa (October 2-5, Johannesburg): Our tour begins at Fak’ugesi 2024 to explore “From Local Horizons to Global Play.” Discover how games are bridging cultural divides and fostering global citizenship. Learn more and lock in your spot!


🇦🇺 G4C APAC (October 4, Melbourne): Next, we’re joining forces with Melbourne International Games Week for a dynamic festival showcasing how games are reshaping education, health, and social change in the Asia-Pacific region. Dive into key topics like neurodiversity, mental health, climate change preparedness, connection to nature, the empowerment of women gamers, storytelling from diverse cultures, and more. Learn more and grab your ticket.

🇮🇳 G4C Festival in India (October 15-16, Pune): In collaboration with UNESCO MGIEP, we’re turning Rubika School of Design into a hub of “Gaming for Good.” Get ready for game jams, interactive zones, and mind-expanding sessions! Register today.


🌎️ G4C LatAm (November 8, 19, and 27): Our Latin American leg spans three countries! Join us in Brazil (Nov 8), Mexico (Nov 19), and Colombia (Nov 27) as we explore “Global Health and Ancestral Wisdom” through the lens of gaming. Full festival details will be announced in the upcoming weeks on the G4C Latin America website.


🇹🇷 G4C TĂĽrkiye (December 7-8, Istanbul): Our tour concludes with the inaugural G4C TĂĽrkiye Festival at BahçeĹźehir University. Get ready to “Press Start for Change” as we bring together visionaries to explore the transformative power of games. Apply to be a speaker & showcase your game at the Festival.

Whether you’re a game developer, educator, policymaker, or simply passionate about the power of games to create positive change, there’s a spot for you! Join us at one (or more!) of these transformative events and be part of the global movement using games as a force for good.

The G4C Student Challenge is back, marking a decade of inspiring young game creators! This year’s themes tackle critical issues like climate change and its impact on well-being, fighting hunger, and how to build a peaceful society. Over the past ten years, the Challenge has engaged over 55,000 students and educators, resulting in more than 6,000 impactful games. By joining the program, you’ll gain access to:

  • 📚️ 15 FREE professional development courses to enhance your skills in teaching game design in the classroom.

  • ✏️ G4C’s comprehensive Game Design Curricula and Verizon’s Innovative Learning hub, offering free PD and adaptable lessons for grades 5-12.

  • 🌍 Inspiring themes based on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, encouraging students to think globally and act locally.

  • 🏆 An exciting competition where students can submit their original games for a chance to win prizes, including a $10,000 scholarship!

Get ready! In partnership with Verizon, the Verizon Innovative Learning Esports League is bringing esports to the classroom across the United States! Expert coaches from Vanta Esports will train students and educators in Rocket League, a fast-paced game where teams of three will face off and control a rocket-powered car to score goals with a giant soccer ball! 🏎️ âš˝


🤔 Why Scholastic Esports?

Scholastic esports combines the excitement of gaming with the structure and values of school activities like band or soccer fostering communication, teamwork, and leadership. And that’s not all! Students will also gain exposure to the growing world of esports, with potential pathways to college scholarships and careers in the esports industry and beyond. 🚀

  • Discover how Celia Hodent is trying to create a code of ethics to improve gaming practices and address issues like loot boxes, monetization, and more.

  • DEADLINE EXTENDED until 9/20 for G4C’s Diverse Voices, New Stories Challenge for mobile game developers. Submit here, before it’s too late! 

  • Tune into the Game Devs of Color Expo’s live watch party. Dive into exciting sessions and more.  

  • Join The POWER Up! Game Jam! A 48-hour event for women gamers from New Zealand and the United States who want to level up their game design skills.

  • Dive into Off Limit’s recent report on how the gaming industry can tackle online toxicity and its role in promoting a positive online experience.

  • Submissions for the interactive and immersive cycle of the 85th Peabody Awards are now open. The deadline is October 3.

Blue Fire: Dive into the story of a mysterious being named Umbra. Umbra, an experimental lifeform, must fulfill his destiny and prevent the return of an evil essence known only as the shadow. To do this, he must traverse the land of Penumbra and find a way to undo the damage the shadow has done to it.

Dino Hazard: Chronos Blackout: Explore a vast island with distinct ecosystems and creatures. Mandatory grinding is not essential, but players can enjoy fast-paced strategic combat focused on character traits. You can solve conflicts with either HATE or LOVE strategies that influence the environment around you.