Overview

This June, the only festival dedicated to the exciting new movement using Digital Games for Social Change will explore real-world impact, the latest games and funding strategies. Hosted in New York City by Parsons The New School for Design, the 4th annual Games for Change Festival will take place on June 11 and 12, 2007.  Expert practitioners -- academics, activists, non-profits, funders -- will be called in to examine the impact of current games, evaluations planned and the ongoing work to build the field. You will have a chance to see a variety of new games in development first-hand, and at the Games Expo sponsored by Microsoft, festival-goers can play the latest state-of-the-art games. Join us!

Featured Speakers

Highlighted Sessions

Clive Thompson (New York Times, Wired Magazine, technology features writer) Grass Roots Gaming: How digital games have become the new graffiti for artists, activists, and teenagers

Opening Remarks: Alan Gershenfeld, CEO of Netomat; formerly ran Activision’s Studios; co-author of Game Plan; filmmaker, writer and Board Member for FilmAid International and Fab Foundation.

Eric Zimmerman, (CEO, gameLab) presents Where Are All the Good Games for Change? – The Game Design Challenges of Real-World Content, an interactive session engaging audience members in the ideas and processes of game design around social issues.

Virtual Activism, a mixed-reality panel exploring the work of non-profits and informal learning organizations inside the virtual world of Second Life, with panelists: Susan Tenby, TechSoup; Jeska Dzwigalski, Linden Lab; Evonne Heyning, Amoration; moderated by Beth Kanter, bethkanter.com

Games in Civic Education and Engagement: New Research, New Learning, New Approaches to Old Problems, panelists: Joseph Kahne, Dean of the School of Education, Mills College; Douglas Thomas, USC; Mary Flanagan, Hunter College, moderated by Benjamin Stokes, the MacArthur Foundation

Media Policy and Games: What Do We Know and How Do We Know It? Adam Green of MoveOn.org and Ted Castronova of Indiana University in a conversation about the intersection of media policy and games, with a special focus on Net Neutrality.

Other featured speakers include:

Lucy Bernholz, Founder, CEO, Blueprint R & D
Ian Bogost, CEO Persuasive Games, Georgia Tech
Heather Chaplin, author of Smart Bomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment and Big Bucks in the Video Game Revolution
Alex Chisholm, Founder, [ICE]3 Studios; Co-Director, Education Arcade; Project Director, NBC Universal
Greg Costikyan, Founder, CEO, Manifesto Games
Jeska Dzwigalski, Community Manager, Linden Lab
Stephen Friedman, General Manager, mtvU
Tracy Fullerton, Co-Director EA Innovation Lab, USC; author of Game Design Workshop
Carl Goodman, Deputy Director, Museum of the Moving Image
Evonne Heyning Creative Director, Amoration
Barry Joseph, Online Leadership Director, Global Kids
Beth Kanter, blogger, bethkanter.org
Katie Salen, Executive Director of gameLab Institute of Play
Ben Sawyer, Director of the Serious Games Initiative
Suzanne Seggerman, President, Games for Change
Chris Swain Co-Director EA Innovation Lab, USC; author of Game Design Workshop
Susan Tenby, Community Manager, TechSoup
Tessie Topol, Strategic Partnerships, MTV
Connie Yowell, Director of Education, the MacArthur Foundation

June 11-12, 2007
Parsons, the New School for Design
New York City

Parsons The New School for Design
Theresa Lang Student Center, 2nd Floor
55 West 13th St.
New York, NY

Here's a Google Map of the location.

• encounter this new movement first-hand
• try the latest games and talk to their designers
• learn from leading experts in social-tech innovation
• join with our community of practice for partnerships
• check out the program!

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Special thanks to our Sponsors:

    
        

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Games for Change (G4C) provides support, visibility and shared resources to individuals and organizations using digital games for social change. A conference flier will be available for download.