The annual Games for Change festival does precisely what its name implies: It celebrates games designed to encourage social improvement. The three-day festival brings together game developers, nonprofits, businesses, and public leaders to look at the latest developments in socially-conscious gaming. It hones in on the intersection between entertainment and education — an intersection that’s been made all the more compelling thanks to growth in social media and the boundaries traversed by online information sharing.
The festival, which is in its 8th year, will again explore how games can be designed to engage and educate youth in a medium that takes center stage in their lives.
Vice President Al Gore, hot off the heels of launching the interactive climate change app Our Choice, will be delivering the keynote address.
I’ll be reporting from the scene of this year’s event, and will be reporting back with the best games and ideas the designers have put into action so far — each year features the unveiling of new games that seek to inspire a younger generation. Stay tuned.
Many of us are working so hard, on a 24/7 basis, to see our games make the light of a monitor that we haven’t time or the budget to attend events like Games for Change.
Please be sure to keep your eyes open for our little engine that could… GiG (Global Innovation Game).
Hundreds of challenges and almost 1000 solutions to the problems that plague our global community. We want to hear from you. Your voice and action matters. Please join the conversation, stop by, play and like, a truly social game with meaning: GiG It! http://www.facebook.com/playGiG