NEW YORK (February 1, 2021) -- Today, Games for Change officially launched the 2021 G4C Student Challenge Competition; an annual game design competition that bridges students’ passion for video games with civic engagement by focusing on issues affecting their communities.
This year, the G4C Student Challenge has expanded nationally, giving all middle and high school students across the U.S. the opportunity to compete. In addition, city-wide competitions will take place in the four Challenge Cities (Atlanta, Detroit, Los Angeles, and New York City). From February 1 - April 1, students can submit their own original, social impact games about one of three themes:
- Advocating for Animals: Games that explore the interconnected relationship between humans, animals, and the environment (in partnership with Annenberg PetSpace).
- Build a Better World: Games that celebrate diversity and teach people how to uplift marginalized voices (in collaboration with Minecraft: Education Edition).
- Resilience through Games: Games that elevate self-care, social connection and community support in the time of COVID-19 (in partnership with IMLS and mental health non-profit Take This).
Finalists will showcase their games at the Awards Ceremonies, during which winners receive prizes for technology, video games, thematic- and games industry-related opportunities. Grand Prize winners will receive a $1,000 Scholarship, generously provided by Take-Two Interactive.
This year, the Competition will also feature two new award categories:
- The Fair Game Writing Challenge, sponsored by the New York Videogame Critics Circle, introduces a new element to the competition: video game journalism where students submit a Video Game Review and a Game Narrative. Winners will receive special mentorship opportunities from expert video game journalists and critics in addition to a $400 cash prize.
- The Accessibility Challenge is part of a partnership with award-winning games studio Numinous Games through their new project, the Playability Initiative. The Playability Initiative is made possible through the financial support of Novartis Gene Therapies. Student games that include accessibility features to support the gameplay experience for players with different types of disabilities (visual, auditory, motor and/or cognitive/learning) will be considered for this award. The winner will receive an Xbox Adaptive Controller and Logitech Adaptive Gaming Kit for themselves and another set for their school to playtest future accessible designs. The winning student will also have an opportunity to collaborate with Numinous Games on the design of Painted Waters. As a collaborator, they will receive a named associate designer credit in the game once it is released.
The 2020-2021 G4C Student Challenge is generously funded by General Motors, Annenberg Foundation, Annenberg Learner, Take-Two Interactive, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, National Endowment for the Arts, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Minecraft: Education Edition, Institute of Museum and Library Services, the New York Videogame Critics Circle, The Playability Initiative, and MoPub. Other chapter-based partners include: Mouse, Two Bit Circus Foundation and Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD).
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About Games For Change
Since 2004, Games For Change (G4C) has been empowering game creators and innovators to drive real-world change, using games and immersive media that help people to learn, improve their communities, and contribute to make the world a better place. G4C partners with technology and gaming companies as well as 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 to use games to tackle real-world challenges, from humanitarian conflicts to climate change and education.
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For more information:
Mabel Chung
Zebra Partners on behalf of Games for Change
mabel@zebrapartners.net