From February 1 to April 8, middle and high school students across the U.S. can submit original social impact games focused on voting rights, climate change, and accessibility
February 1, 2022
[This unedited press release is made available courtesy of Game Developer and its partnership with notable game PR-related resource Games Press]
Author: Games for Change
NEW YORK (February 1, 2022) — Today, Games for Change announced that the 2022 G4C Student Challenge competition is now open for submissions. The annual game design competition — which is open to middle and high school students (grades 5-12) anywhere in the U.S. — connects youth interest in video games to civic engagement by challenging students to create original games about issues affecting their communities. Now in its 7th year, the program has reached over 35,000 students and 725 educators to date.
The competition submission portal is open from February 1st through April 8th. Students can submit digital games that address one of three social impact themes:
Shaping the World for Difference: Games that raise awareness about learning and thinking differences. (in partnership with Understood)
Sustainable Cities: Games about solutions to the climate crisis and ways we can make our homes, schools, and communities more resilient and sustainable. (in partnership with NRDC [Natural Resources Defense Council])
Voice of a New Generation: Games that demonstrate the importance of voting, propose solutions to make the process more accessible, and encourage more young people to participate. (in partnership with The New Georgia Project)
This year’s competition features new opportunities for awards and recognition. Students will compete with others in their age group across 4 U.S. regions: Northeast, South, Midwest, and West. Age groups include “Junior” (grades 5-8) and “Senior” (grades 9-12). Regional winners in each age group will advance to compete against each other for the title of National Champion.
Finalists will be recognized at a culminating Awards Ceremony in June, during which winners receive prizes including technology, video games, and opportunities with leading game companies. National Champions will receive a $10,000 scholarship, generously provided by Take-Two Interactive.
“While many students enter the G4C Student Challenge because they want to be game designers, there are a lot more who join the competition because they like playing games and they care about the problems that they are seeing in the world,” said Arana Shapiro, Managing Director and Chief Learning Officer at Games for Change. “Regardless of how students come into the program, by the time they submit a game they will see themselves as game designers, social innovators, and active citizens — exactly the kind of problem-solvers the world sorely needs. The G4C Student Challenge’s new competition structure and awards provide more opportunities to recognize students of different ages and skill levels, and reward students who pursue special goals.”
This year’s competition will also feature four special award categories, with experts and industry leaders:
The Fair Game Writing Challenge, sponsored by the New York Videogame Critics Circle, will allow students to submit a Video Game Review and Poem. One student winner selected from each of the four regions will receive a $500 cash prize, special mentorship opportunities, and a potential publication opportunity.
The Game Accessibility Challenge will recognize games that introduce one or more accessibility features to support the gameplay experience for players with different abilities (visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive/learning).
The XR Innovation Challenge Powered by Verizon will recognize games created for an extended reality platform, including augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Games can be created using CoSpaces or other student-friendly platforms.
The Made with Unity Award will highlight and celebrate student games created using the Unity platform.
“At Unity, we believe that creators are changemakers. People all around the world are using our technology to create experiences and tell stories that drive social change. Through the G4C Student Challenge, Games for Change has been empowering the next generation of changemakers for years. This year, Unity is proud to increase our support for this program through the Made with Unity Award, which gives students the opportunity to have their games evaluated by Unity experts and join a global community of social impact creators,” said Jessica Lindl, Vice President of Social Impact at Unity.
“Next-generation technology like VR and AR has the potential to radically transform the way students learn, and students are the best people to lead that transformation. The XR Innovation Challenge Powered by Verizon encourages students to experiment with emerging technology platforms, and learn technology skills that will prepare them for jobs of the future,” said Phil Puthumana, Program Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at Verizon.
To support teachers, students, and parents, the 2021-22 Challenge will host a number of virtual events, including virtual classroom visits from professional game designers, office hours, and virtual game jams. These events will allow students to prototype their social impact games before submitting them to the competition. A full schedule can be found on the Events page of the Student Challenge website.
The 2021-2022 G4C Student Challenge is generously funded by General Motors, Riot Games, Take-Two Interactive, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, Verizon, the Bigglesworth Family Foundation, Best Buy Foundation, the Grable Foundation, and Motorola Solutions Foundation. City-based programs are supported by leading educational and community-based organizations, including Two Bit Circus Foundation, Cxmmunity, CMU ETC, and Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD).
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About Games For Change
Since 2004, Games For Change (G4C) has empowered game creators and innovators to drive real-world change, using games and immersive media that help people learn, improve their communities, and contribute to making the world a better place. G4C partners with technology and gaming companies and nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies to run world-class events, public arcades, design challenges, and youth programs.
G4C supports a global community of game developers working on using games to tackle real-world challenges, from humanitarian conflicts to climate change and education.
Media contact:
McPherson Strategies
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