🎮 SAVE THE DATE for #G4C2025 - June 26-27! Plus Impact Report, Game Jams, Esports & More. ⭐

Author

Games for Change
January 31, 2025

Start the year strong with the G4C January Newsletter! Mark your calendars for the 22nd Annual Games for Change Festival at Parsons School of Design, and discover what's new for 2025. Plus, learn about our expanded Student Challenge, upcoming game jams, and exciting esports opportunities. Don't miss the February 5 Festival speaker and game award submission deadline! Take a break from Donkey Kong Country Returns HD and dive into this exciting update. 🎮

— Team G4C 

Join us for the 22nd Annual Games for Change Festival at Parsons School of Design at The New School in New York City from June 26 to 27! Under the theme "Designing for Tomorrow," we will explore how games and immersive media can foster collaboration across generations, perspectives, and sectors. For two full days, attendees can engage in keynotes, panels, workshops, and networking opportunities across three tracks: Games & Learning, Civics & Social Issues, and Health & Wellbeing, with XR integrated throughout.


🌟NEW THIS YEAR:

  • 🎮 We will host a Masterclass series on June 25, featuring in-depth learning sessions on game development, the power of play, and more with high-profile leaders in the game industry.

  • 🏆 The Games for Change Awards ceremony on June 26 will celebrate excellence in social impact games and immersive media with categories including Most Significant Impact, Best Narrative, and the new "Best Platform-Based Project," which recognizes work within platforms like Minecraft, Roblox, and Fortnite Creative that drives meaningful change.



From now until February 5, we invite our global G4C community to submit their games or speaker sessions to share valuable insights about the power of games.

Check Out G4C's First-Ever Impact Report: 2024 in Review 💫

Games for Change recently released our first-ever Impact Report, highlighting our work using games to drive social change in 2024. The report showcases our community’s impact across various sectors, including education, health, climate action, and social justice. Learn more about the outcomes, key initiatives, and how games continue to inspire real-world transformation.

The Verizon Innovative Learning Esports League spring season is about to begin! We are delighted to announce the upcoming season has expanded to include both middle and high school students! The league will include professional development for team advisors, coaching for students, organized tournaments, and more. Save the dates for the upcoming professional development webinars! Click the sessions to secure your spot. ⬇️

  • 1️⃣ Beginner Session: February 3, 4–6 PM EST: Explore the world of scholastic esports by walking through an interactive “Getting Started with Esports” checklist.

  • 2️⃣ Experienced Session: February 10, 4–6 PM EST: Continue building capacity with a deep dive into engaging your students and growing your program with the VILs league.

The 2024-2025 Games for Change Student Challenge game submission portal is now open worldwide, and for the first time ever, university students can participate! Until April 18, students aged 10-25 can submit digital games addressing climate change, world hunger, and peace. Get empowered to transform your ideas into impactful solutions for a better world. Submit your game or project today!

G4C has partnered with Global Game Jam (GGJ) to expand the G4C Student Challenge through GGJ Next. Running through April 18, this collaboration enables middle school, high school, and university students to participate in flexible global game jams that foster essential STEAM skills, including coding, game design, and critical thinking. Stipends are available for educators outside the U.S. Apply here.

  • Explore the 2025 Africa Games Report, which offers insights into the continent's expanding video game development ecosystem and assists key stakeholders in shaping strategies for the present and future.

  • Join the 6th Annual Green Game Jam! Take an existing game with a live audience and give it an eco-friendly twist. This could be in the form of an event, a theme, or even a feature.

  • Peek into Filament Game’s predictions for 2025, featuring AI's role in education, game-based learning, and educational technology.

  • Museum educators can now sign up for G4C’s Game Plan! Learn how to integrate game-based learning into your programs and more! 

  • Discover how artificial intelligence is helping students with disabilities complete tasks in the classroom.

Road 96: a thrilling road trip to the border, where you'll encounter remarkable characters and uncover their intertwined stories and secrets in an ever-evolving adventure. In this journey, your choices will not only influence the people you meet but could also change the world around you.

Penflower Ink: a tabletop roleplaying game set in a cyberpunk dystopia, where players become activists striving for a solarpunk revolution. In a hyper-capitalist city-state ravaged by ecological collapse, players navigate a grid-like metropolis, confront oppressive forces like the Conglomerate and Police, and work to build a better society through missions.