Games for Change

The countdown is officially ON! 👾💫

We are just ONE WEEK away from kicking things off at !

Get ready to head to our brand-new venue, The Glasshouse in NYC, on July 21–22 as we dive into this year’s theme, "Reimagining Play."

Play is constantly evolving—shaping how we experiment with ideas, tackle complex social issues, and build new futures. 🧠✨

Whether you are joining us live on the vibrant festival floor or tuning in virtually from across the globe, there are so many ways to experience the festival this year.

Here is a glimpse of what to expect:

🕹️ The G4C Festival Arcade: Experience groundbreaking impact games and immersive media from creators around the world.
🎤 Thought-Provoking Sessions: Catch panels, workshops, and our brand-new Playtesting Lab with cross-sector leaders from the gaming, NGO, and social impact communities.
🗣️ Networking Opportunities: Make your next great connection through G4C’s dynamic community.
🏆 The G4C Awards: Celebrate the year's best in social impact gaming and interactive media.
🫴 Upgraded Attendee Experience: Enjoy new hospitality offerings, including lunch both days for all attendees! 🍽️

Don’t miss out on all the fun; get your tickets today: https://bit.ly/3Omvgeg

Ready for another Pre-Festival session? 🧩

Join G4C co-founder and 2026 Keynote Speaker Barry Joseph, author of Matching Minds with Sondheim: The Puzzles and Games of the Broadway Legend, in conversation with game designer and NYU arts professor Eric Zimmerman.

Together, they’ll explore how to treat games and puzzles as designed artifacts to analyze the mind, craft, and personality of their creator. 🧠✨

📅 Thursday, July 9 | 5:00 PM - 5:45 PM EDT

RSVP today to secure your spot: https://bit.ly/4w0R0gT

Excited for more festival fun? Check out our website for things to do around NYC before and purchase tickets for the main event:https://bit.ly/4vLvi09 🎟️🗽

It’s National Summer Learning Week! Cheers to a week centered on keeping youth engaged, safe, and learning while closing the opportunity gap. ☀️

To kick off the celebration, we're spotlighting the "Game of the Year" winners from the 25-26 Student Challenge, which invited youth creators aged 10-25 to design social impact games focused on protecting ecosystems, promoting safer driving, and addressing world hunger.

These winning projects perfectly embody this week's national pillars of STEM, Community & Leadership, and the Arts. By transforming a passion for gaming into a vehicle for civic action, these youth developers designed interactive solutions to real-world issues right in their neighborhoods.

Celebrate student success with us and keep your skills sharp this summer by playing these incredible titles in the G4C Student Arcade!

🕹️ Play the winning games today: learn.gamesforchange.org

Heading to New York City early for the festival? 🗽🚖

Kick off your week with some fun festivities happening all around the city before the festival doors open on the 21st.

From live sports games and pizza tours to local indie arcades, here’s a guide to help you make the most of your time in NYC. 👾

G4C Organized Events

🪅Pre-Festival Fun | July 19-20 (Sun/Mon): Brooklyn Cyclones (Coney Island), World Cup Final Watch Party (Central Park), West Village Pizza Tour, and the Official Opening Night Party.

🪅Post-Festival Fun | July 22 (Wed): Watch the NY Liberty at Barclays Center

Explore NYC’s Gaming & Arts Scene

🪅Gaming Cafes & Bars: Visit Coexist GameHouse, Hex & Co., Wonderville, or Twenty Sided Store for local indie arcade and tabletop action.

🪅Museum of the Moving Image in Queens explores film, television, and video game history with hands-on exhibits

🪅The Paley Center for Media in Midtown Manhattan features an extensive archive and interactive exhibits celebrating television, radio, and digital media history.

Interested? Learn more about how to soak up all that NYC has to offer here: https://bit.ly/4y97VPW.

Don't miss out on the main event! Secure your 1-day, full-access, or standard pass today https://bit.ly/4910dMQ.

There are just a FEW DAYS left to secure regular priced tickets for ! 📣

Join us for our annual Games for Change Festival ( ) July 21–22 at The Glasshouse in New York City, for two days as we explore this year’s theme “Reimagining Play,” as an evolving practice for understanding complex issues, experimenting with ideas, and imagining new futures; and focus on how games and immersive media continue to shape learning, creativity, and social impact.

🕹️ will be filled with opportunities to sit in on thought-provoking discussions and panels, network with our dynamic community, experience our festival arcade, and enjoy our G4C awards.

✨Regular pricing is available until this Sunday, July 5th—don’t miss out! https://bit.ly/4910dMQ

🚨 TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO APPLY!

Don't miss your chance to secure the Game Devs of Color Expo Scholarship to in New York City (July 21-22). We are sending up to 10 scholars to connect with industry leaders and grow their careers—without admission costs getting in the way.

What is included:

👾 Free Standard Ticket ($825 value)

👾 Online Dev Community invite

👾 GDoCExpo 2026 pass

👾 Onsite Meetup with fellow scholars

The application deadline is tonight, Tuesday, June 30, 2026.

🔗 Apply right now before it closes: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd6Ipc1jA2jwl-cbT0pNkJLeG43VucqzvzvMBhpN-L2ddl2NQ/viewform

Happy Pride Month, Games for Change Community 🌈

We’re celebrating by uplifting innovative games with LGBTQ+ leads and by LGBTQ+ developers

From haunting gothic horror mysteries and epic action-adventures to cozy, heartwarming stories of community and connection, each of these games showcases the power of q***r storytelling. Through rich narratives and diverse representation, these creators use play to explore identity, build empathy, and foster deep emotional connections.

Swipe through to learn about each game and where you can play or wishlist it! We hope you enjoy these incredible worlds, and remember to support q***r games and creators this month and beyond. 🏳️‍🌈👾

Today is our first pre-festival virtual session: Access Ahead Pt. 2: A Practical Games Accessibility Crash Course. AbleToPlay founder Arman Nobari returns to deliver crucial insights for creators at every level. Backed by fresh research, this updated session teaches scalable, practical accessibility tactics from pre-production through post-launch, showing you how to build inclusive features sustainably without team crunch. ✨

📅 Monday, June 29 | 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM EDT

RSVP for today's session HERE: https://bit.ly/4wbvBkD

Pre-festival sessions are back! 💫

Gear up for with our first virtual session, Access Ahead Pt. 2: A Practical Games Accessibility Crash Course.

AbleToPlay founder Arman Nobari returns for this highly anticipated follow-up to last year's accessibility crash course. Fully updated to reflect recent industry shifts and backed by fresh, industry-wide research, this session will deliver crucial insights for creators at every level.

Key Takeaways:
✨ Practical accessibility tactics from pre-production through post-launch
✨ How to build inclusive features sustainably without team crunch
✨ Scalable steps you can apply to any team size or experience level

📅 Monday, June 29 | 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM EDT

RSVP today to secure your spot: https://bit.ly/4vtVv3d

Stay tuned for details on our next pre-festival session coming soon!

At SpecialEffect, we are incredibly honoured to be recognised as the Giving Award recipient at this year’s Games for Change Games for Change Festival! 🏆

The 2026 theme, Reimagining Play, examines how games and interactive media can be a force for social impact and creativity, and it means a lot to be included among the people and studios doing that work.

At SpecialEffect, we are transforming the lives of people with physical challenges right across the world through the innovative use of technology. At the core of this mission is their work to optimise inclusion, enjoyment and quality of life by helping people control video games to the best of their abilities.🧡🎮

See you at The Glasshouse in NYC for the G4C Awards on July 21! 🗽✨

IndieCade's Climate Jam is on the horizon ⭐️ 🌱

Want to create games that can contribute to a better tomorrow, the one we want to see?

This jam is for you & anyone interested in the world around us, from first-time creators to seasoned devs, and from anywhere on the planet.

IndieCade’s 8th annual Climate Jam is held online and designed to guide jammers through creating imaginative, engaging, and meaningful games that address climate change in a positive way. Let’s plant the seeds for our future together.

Do not miss out, jamming starts July 1st!

🔗 Sign up now on and explore IndieCade's website for more info here: https://bit.ly/4ez28LI