Games for Change has named the winners of its annual Games for Change Awards, aiming to highlight games throughout the industry that, in the words of organization president Susanna Pollack “[redefine] the boundaries of technology, empowering an ever-diversifying audience, and exemplifying what it means to use technology for good.”
Media Molecule’s Dreams, a game that is as much a creation tool as much as it is a video game on its own, walked away with the ceremony’s highest honors this year: the Games for Change Game of the Year award. It was also named this year’s Most Innovative Game, competing against fellow nominees like Concrete Genie, Sea of Solitude, and Sky: Children of the Light for the honor.
“These winning games exemplify ‘play’ as we know it by delivering experiences that transport us, connect us and even strengthen our inner resolve with inventive and joyful narratives and clever mechanics,” continues Pollack. A full rundown of this year’s winners can be found in bold just below, while details on each can be found on the Games for Change website.
Best Gameplay
Arise: A Simple Story (Piccolo Studio)
Dear Reader (Local No. 12)
Mosaic (Krillbite Studio)
Sky: Children of the Light (thatgamecompany)
Most Innovative
Concrete Genie (Pixelopus)
Dreams (Media Molecule)
Sea of Solitude (Jo-Mei)
Sky: Children of the Light (thatgamecompany)
Most Significant Impact
Eliza (Zachtronics)
Life is Strange 2 (Dontnod Entertainment)
Sea of Solitude (Jo-Mei)
SweetxHeart (Catt Small)
Best Learning Game
Funexpected Math (Funexpected LTD)
Mightier (Mightier)
Rabbids Coding (Ubisoft)
Sci-Ops: Global Defense (Plasma Games)
Best Student Game
Apollo (Team Apollo)
Gamer Girl (RIT’s School of Interactive Games and Media)
Plasticity (Plasticity Games)
Resilience (Sungrazer)
Best XR for Change
Bonfire (Baobab Studios)
Escape to the Future (Open Lab, Newcastle University)
Paper Beast (Pixel Reef)
The Holy City (Nimrod Shanit / Holy City VR)