Earth Day Spotlight: How the Gaming Community is Tackling Climate Change

As we celebrate Earth Day and Month, it’s crucial to recognize the urgent need for action in the face of the global climate crisis. At Games for Change, we believe in the transformative power of video games to educate, raise awareness, and inspire change. By immersing players in compelling narratives and interactive experiences, games have the unique ability to foster a deeper understanding of complex issues like climate change and sustainability.

This Earth Day, we’re excited to highlight our ongoing efforts to promote environmental awareness through our programs, festivals, and content that focus on the importance of climate change and a more sustainable future.

The 2023-2024 Games for Change Student Challenge, now in its ninth year, exemplifies our commitment to empowering young people to tackle pressing global issues. In partnership with Ocean Wise and EcoRise, we challenged students to create games addressing critical environmental themes: Recycle the Runway, confronting the consequences of fast fashion; Be Ocean Wise, proposing solutions to ocean-related challenges; and Stronger and Greener Communities, focusing on urban sustainability and resilience.

Through their games, students explored sustainable production, upcycling, ocean conservation, and the complexities of urban development in the face of climate change. With over 900 submissions from across the world, this year’s challenge showcases the creativity and passion of young game designers in promoting sustainability and inspiring action.

Explore resources on ecologically responsible fashion choices, ocean conservation, and urban sustainability, and stay tuned for the upcoming Student Challenge Awards Ceremony, where we’ll celebrate the incredible work of our finalists and winners. By supporting the next generation of game creators and changemakers, we believe we can harness the power of games to build a more sustainable and resilient future for all. In the meantime, check out last year’s Climate Action Heros Winners and Finalists and dive deeper into this year’s Student Challenge! 

Beyond Blue, developed by E-Line Media, is a single-player narrative adventure that takes you deep into the planet’s oceans. Set in the future, you will explore the ocean in the eyes of Mirai, a deep-water explorer and scientist. Use groundbreaking technologies to see, hear, and interact with the ocean in a more meaningful way than has ever been attempted. Through its immersive gameplay and stunning visuals, Beyond Blue sheds light on the beauty and fragility of our oceans, inspiring players to care more deeply about marine conservation

Floodland, is a society survival game set in a world destroyed by climate change, developed by Vile Monarch. Grow and manage your colony, create a meaningful community, enforce the laws, and ensure the well-being of the society you create in a ruthless environment. With randomly generated maps and events, each playthrough will offer you a unique experience. By placing players in charge of a post-climate change community, Floodland drives home the challenges we may face if we don’t take action to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Plasticity is a unique puzzle platformer about a plastic-ridden world, and you have to make tough choices to save it, developed by Plasticity Games. Step into the shoes of Noa, a young girl who leaves her home in search of a better life. On this journey, your actions will dynamically change the gameplay and the story. Plasticity confronts players with the consequences of plastic pollution, encouraging them to think critically about their choices both in-game and in real life.

We encourage you to explore these impactful games, watch the insightful talks from our festival speakers, and learn more about the fantastic work being done by organizations throughout our space. Consider how you can incorporate sustainability into your life and help spread the word about the importance of climate action.

As a community of game creators, players, and advocates, we have the power to make a real difference in the fight against climate change. By harnessing the unique ability of games to educate, inspire, and drive action, we can work together to build a more sustainable future for our planet. Let’s celebrate our progress this Earth Day and recommit ourselves to the critical work ahead. Together, we can create games that change the world for the better.