📣 G4C Updates: SXSW EDU, G4C Learn Updates, Black History Month & More!

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Games for Change
February 28, 2025

Welcome to the February Newsletter! This month, we're proud to announce Leo Olebe as the new Chair of our Board of Directors, share opportunities to connect with the G4C community, and celebrate Black History Month through impactful games and past Festival sessions. Read on for these updates and much more! ⭐

— Team G4C 

Are you heading to SXSW EDU? Join the Games for Change community at this year's event! SXSW EDU offers the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow education innovators, discover new game-based learning practices, and explore cross-sector partnerships that are making a real impact. The G4C team will be participating in two special events:

🌐 Glocal FTW: Cross-Sector Partnerships for Collective Impact
📆 March 3, 2:30 pm – 3:30 pm CT | Ballroom EF
Join Allison Matthews (Minecraft Education), Susanna Pollack (President of G4C), and Jose Antonio Tijerino (Hispanic Heritage Foundation) as they explore how Minecraft and other games are being used to teach climate action and social justice while fostering collaboration, problem-solving, and systems thinking.

🎮️ Games for Change Game Night
📆 March 5, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm CT | Hilton Austin Downtown Room 406
Join G4C Learn's Leah Hirsch (Senior Director of G4C Learn) and Brendon Trombley (Lead Game Designer at G4C) for an interactive experience exploring how games can be used as transformative teaching tools, bridging the gap between learning, impact, and engagement.


Don't miss these opportunities to learn from leaders in the field and see how game-based learning is shaping the future of education for a better tomorrow. We’ll see you next week in Austin! 👋

We are delighted to announce Leo Olebe as the new Chair of our Board of Directors! Leo brings over 20 years of experience in the gaming and entertainment industry and is currently the Vice President of Global Partnerships at Xbox. His impressive career includes key positions at major companies, including Global Head of Gaming at YouTube, Managing Director of Games at Google, and Senior Global Director of Games Partnerships at Facebook.

Leo succeeds Asi Burak, who served as Chair for the past ten years and will remain on the Board. We are excited about this next chapter and look forward to working with Leo and the board to strengthen and expand the G4C community!

Stay updated with all things G4C Learn! Here are some exciting opportunities to engage with our educational initiatives:

🧑‍🎓 The 2024-2025 G4C Student Challenge closes in two months!
Middle/high school and college students (ages 10-25) can design and submit games addressing critical global challenges: climate change, peacebuilding, and world hunger. Don't miss this opportunity to make an impact through game design—submit your game today!

🖥️ Level Up and Discover Your Game Development Superpower!
Join us for another Level Up session on April 1 from 6-7 PM ET with Bradston Henry, Senior Advocate at Unity. Bradston will share insights from his career journey, explore diverse paths in game development, and reveal the "secret sauce" that helped him succeed in the industry. Register here to secure your spot!

🎮 Host a game jam at your school through Global Game Jam Next.
Schools at all levels can now participate in this global game-creation event! Explore resources on organizing tabletop or digital game jams at your institution. We've created guides for both formats to help you get started. Plus, we have a limited number of stipends available for organizers of game jams outside the United States.

Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition: Dive into the heart of Africa as you explore a new continent for Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition with two brand new civilizations and their kingdoms, the Ethiopians and the Hausa! Using an Age-up mechanic unique to the African civilizations, gain new alliances with every age and use your influence to hire your allies’ units or research their technologies.

KindFolx: A single-player, PvE real-time deckbuilding card game where players take on the role of one of three Adventurers Guild members on a mission to liberate the city of KindFolx from its corrupt leader. The game features fast-paced, real-time combat and adds a unique twist to traditional deckbuilders, requiring quick thinking and strategic decision-making.