The LEGO Group Named G4C Industry Leadership Winner; Alan Gershenfeld Receives Inaugural Hall of Change Award
“Endling: Extinction is Forever” from Herobeat Studios Wins Game of the Year Award, Most Significant Impact Award
Games for Change, the nonprofit organization that promotes social impact through games and immersive media, has announced the winners of the 2023 Games for Change Awards. The awards were presented during the live 2023 Games for Change Festival Awards Ceremony at the Times Center. The event was hosted by Andrea Rene from the popular “What’s Good Games” podcast.
The President of Games for Change, Susanna Pollack, expressed her admiration for the global creativity and innovation displayed by the award nominees. She highlighted the significance of the winning game, “Endling: Extinction is Forever,” developed by Herobeat Studios, as the Game of the Year. The game raises awareness about environmental degradation and encourages conversations about conservation, demonstrating the transformative power of games for social change.
Industry Leadership – The LEGO Group
The LEGO Group was recognized as the Industry Leadership Award recipient. The company’s commitment to providing engaging and safe digital experiences for children, combining physical and digital play, creativity, collaboration, and responsible digital citizenship, solidifies their position as exemplary industry leaders. Carolina Giuga, Senior Director at The LEGO Group, expressed gratitude for the recognition and emphasized the importance of creating safe digital environments for children to unleash their creative potential.
Hall of Change Award – Alan Gershenfeld
Games for Change introduced the G4C Hall of Change Award and proudly recognized Alan Gershenfeld as the inaugural recipient. The Hall of Change Award celebrates an outstanding individual who has dedicated their career to advancing the field of impact games. As the first Chairperson of Games for Change and Co-Founder/President of E-Line Media, Gershenfeld has made significant contributions to the industry by seamlessly merging technology, media, and social impact through collaborations with renowned organizations such as the Gates Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, USAID, DARPA, and Google.
Game of the Year, Most Significant Impact – Endling: Extinction is Forever (Herobeat Studios)
In “Endling: Extinction is Forever,” the last mother fox on Earth faces the daunting task of ensuring the survival of her cubs in a ruthless world on the brink of self-destruction. She must guide, protect, and save her offspring while never forgetting the irreversible nature of extinction.
Most Innovative – Terra Nil (Free Lives)
“Terra Nil” is an intricate environmental strategy game that revolves around transforming a desolate wasteland into a thriving and balanced ecosystem. Its players embark on a mission to revive a lifeless world by purifying soil, cleansing oceans, planting trees, reintroducing wildlife, and leaving behind no trace of their efforts.
Best Narrative – Gerda: A Flame In Winter (Bird Island [ex-PortaPlay])
In “Gerda: A Flame In Winter,” players assume the role of Gerda, whose tranquil existence is upended by the tumultuous events of World War II, which cast their shadow upon her Danish village. This intimate narrative RPG-lite experience draws inspiration from real-life events and allows players to choose their path, actions, and alliances as Gerda navigates through the occupation.
Best Student Game – (val)iant: or, val’s guide to having a broken vag (Cactus Studio)
“(val)iant: or, val’s guide to having a broken vag” is a browser-based, zine-inspired game that utilizes simple and intuitive mechanics to tell a story about bodies, relationships, and sex education. Players embody the nonbinary college student Val, who grapples with vaginismus. The game delves into the societal aspects of sexual education and how individuals learn or fail to learn about sex.
Best Learning Game – Go Nisha Go™: My Life My Choice (Howard Delafield International, LLP)
“Go Nisha Go™: My Life My Choice” empowers young girls to make informed decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health. Through the simulation of decision outcomes, the game enables girls to shape their futures confidently. Extensively researched and co-designed with girls aged 15 and above in India, this game aims to educate and empower.
Best XR4C Experience – Body of Mine VR (Cameron Kostopoulos)
“Body of Mine VR” merges immersive technology with real interviews of transgender individuals. By utilizing full-body tracking, the experience allows users to fully embody another gender, engage with their own skin, explore trans stories, experiment with gender expression through guided movements, and experience dysphoria in a secure and immersive environment.
Best Health Game – Luna’s Light (ImpactVR)
“Luna’s Light” takes players on an enchanting adventure through a fantasy realm where they wield an enchanted bow. The bow can be used for shooting, while additional upgrades like the rope arrow enable players to bridge gaps. This experience provides a delightful way to undergo rehabilitation in the comfort of one’s own home.
Best Civics Game – Cat Park (Tilt)
“Cat Park” is a free online visual novel that educates players about common tactics and techniques of online manipulation. Based on inoculation theory, the game is designed as a psychological “vaccine” that actively builds cognitive resistance against online manipulation.
Best Gameplay – I Was a Teenage Exocolonist (Northway Games)
“I Was a Teenage Exocolonist” is a sci-fi narrative RPG featuring card-based battles. As players embark on a journey to explore a hostile alien planet, they must navigate the challenges of growing up and finding love. The choices and skills acquired over ten years will shape the character’s life and the colony’s survival.
Best Board or Tabletop Game for Impact – SHASN: AZADI (Abhishek Lamba and Zain Memon for Memesys Games)
“SHASN: AZADI” is a semi-cooperative political strategy board game where players play as revolutionaries, trying to free their country from the grips of a tyrannical imperial power. If they succeed, only one will emerge as the leader of the new nation.
Games for Change also recognized Grace Collins as the 2023 Vanguard recipient, Benjamin “DrLupo” Lupo as the Giving Award recipient, and “Destiny 2” and Bungie as the Accessibility Award recipient.
About Games for Change
Since 2004, Games for Change (G4C) has been empowering game creators and innovators to drive real-world change, using games and immersive media that help people to learn, improve their communities, and contribute to make the world a better place. G4C partners with technology and gaming companies as well as nonprofits, foundations
