The Games for Change Festival is set to broaden its reach and relocate to additional cities
Games for Change (G4C) has revealed plans to hold its yearly festival in a different city during odd-numbered years, commencing with Arizona in 2027.
.jpg?width=570&quality=85&format=jpg&dpr=3&auto=webp)
According to GamesBeat, the organization based in New York will partner with Arizona State University (ASU) for its event scheduled for October 11-13 next year.
This collaboration will see the Endless Games and Learning Lab at ASU supporting G4C attendees and providing access to courses focused on game design.
The two entities aim to jointly work on research initiatives that delve into areas like artificial intelligence and game ecosystems, as well as utilizing games for workplace learning purposes.
In the years numbered evenly, the G4C Festival will be hosted again in New York. The festival's duration will extend to three days, responding to an uptick in participation, which reached approximately 1,000 personal attendees this year.
"The move to host the Festival at Arizona State University is aimed at broadening our audience, so more creators, developers, educators, and researchers can participate," stated Susanna Pollack, president of Games for Change.
Mark Ollila, director of ASU's Endless Games and Learning Lab, highlighted the partnership's endorsement of microcredentials for creating flexible and meaningful learning pathways.
"Our lab emphasizes 'make to learn, play to learn, and learn to earn,' leveraging games as a tool for developing skills, encouraging exploration, and providing economic opportunities," Ollila said.
This year, G4C also worked with the London Games Festival for the first Games for Change London Summit, held on April 15, aiming to bring together professionals from various fields to discuss the potential of games in driving social progress, as reported here.
Last week, G4C shared the winners of its awards, with "South of Midnight" by Compulsion Games honored with the Game and Experience of the Year titles.
The game "Consume Me" by Hexecutable was recognized with awards for Best Narrative, Best Gameplay, and the Indie Breakout Award, while Thatgamecompany was awarded the Industry Leader Award.
Additionally, the organization released the "Raising Good Gamers" report, offering guidance on supporting families with gaming, focusing on evidence-based approaches to parental concerns, as detailed here.