G4C2025 Updates: Extended Deadline, Special Awards, & Free Virtual Programming!

Author

Games for Change
June 06, 2025

Great news! We've extended the deadline for regular-priced G4C2025 tickets to June 16th. This week, we also celebrated our 2025 Special Award Winners, including Dr. Rachel Kowert (Vanguard Award), PRELOADED (Industry Leadership), Amir Sarvat (Giving Award), Asi Burak (Hall of Change), and 1000xRESIST (Indie Breakout Award). Plus, we still have two free virtual sessions coming up - a book launch with gaming education pioneers and our first-ever G4C Stream-a-thon. Don't miss your chance to join us June 26-27 in NYC or tune in from around the world! Put down your Switch 2 and check this out. 

-Team G4C

Every year, the G4C Awards highlight a collection of organizations and individuals who are championing games and immersive media for real-world change. From groundbreaking research and transformative leadership to decades of innovation, these recipients showcase the full scope of the G4C community. The #G4C2025 Special Award Winners are:  

💞 Dr. Rachel Kowert will receive the Vanguard award for her pioneering work in psychology, gaming, and mental health, reshaping our understanding of games as tools for healing and growth. 

🎮PRELOADED is recognized as the Industry Leadership recipients for 25 years of creating meaningful interactive experiences that blend education, culture, and social good. 

🤝Amir Satvat is recognized with the Giving Award for his transformative leadership in supporting the gaming industry during challenging times and providing invaluable resources, mentorship, and opportunities. 

🌎Asi Burak, our past President and longtime Board Chair and member, will receive the Hall of Change Award for his two decades of dedication to advancing impact games and helping transform G4C into a global movement. 

🌟Finally, 1000xRESIST and sunset visitor 斜陽過客 will win the Indie Breakout Award for their profound exploration of diasporas, intergenerational trauma, and human connection, exemplifying how games can bridge understanding across different lived experiences.

Join us in NYC on June 26th at 6:30 PM ET for the Awards Ceremony with host Kahlief Adams of Spawn on Me, or tune in via Twitch! Time is running out to secure your tickets!

Earlier this week, we kicked off our free virtual programming for #G4C2025 with Arman Nobari from AbleToPlay with a crash course on making games more accessible. If you missed it, the VOD will be available soon, but we still have two other free sessions coming up:


June 10: Well-Read Game On: Playing Thoughtfully Virtual Book Launch Join scholars James Paul Gee, Tracy Fullerton, and Matthew Farber for a conversation about their new book exploring games as literary experiences and the emotional experiences of being in play. Add to your calendar!
June 20: First-Ever G4C Stream-a-thon! Join us for an evening of interactive content with creators, experts, and community members focused on games, immersive media, and social impact.

Take your skills to the next level with our intensive Masterclass Series on June 25! These small-group sessions led by industry pros include Drew Davidson on creative leadership, Eric Zimmerman leading hands-on game design workshops, and experts from Blockworks & Filament Games diving deep into creating impactful experiences within platforms like Minecraft and Roblox. With limited seats available, these focused workshops provide direct mentorship from the experts defining the future of social impact gaming. Individual sessions are $75, or attend two for $125 — no Festival ticket required. We can't wait to see you there!

The Next-Gen Summit is G4C's premier youth event, inspiring teens (ages 13-18) to explore career pathways in gaming and STEAM. This unique event connects students with industry professionals through inclusive workshops and adopts a game-like format that reimagines the traditional career fair as a low-pressure experience rooted in play.

The summit is completely free and will take place in New York City on June 22nd and in Los Angeles on June 28th. Whether you're a parent, educator, or industry professional, please share this with young people interested in exploring a future in gaming!

Life is Strange: True Colors: Follow Alex Chen as she uses supernatural powers to uncover dark secrets in a small Colorado town while searching for the truth behind her brother's death. The game transforms empathy into interactive gameplay, allowing players to experience emotions as color-coded auras and make complex moral choices about emotional intervention.

I Was a Teenage Exocolonist: Navigate adolescence on humanity's first extrasolar colony as Sol grows from age 10-20, using innovative time-loop mechanics to prevent disasters and explore 29 different endings. The game transforms life experiences into collectible "memory cards" used in poker-like challenges, while confronting environmental colonialism through deeply personal storytelling.