Games for Change (G4C), a nonprofit organization dedicated to spotlighting games and immersive media for social impact, recently unveiled the winners for the 2025 Games for Change Awards. The winners were announced during the 2025 Games for Change festival, having been selected from a pool of nearly 800 submissions across 55 countries.
“These award winners represent a breakthrough moment for impact gaming, showcasing the extraordinary breadth of human experiences that games can address—from mental health and accessibility to environmental action and personal resilience,” said G4C President Susanna Pollack.
“We’re seeing creators push the boundaries of what’s possible across every platform and medium, using cutting-edge technology, innovative storytelling, and thoughtful design to tackle deeply personal challenges while reaching global audiences. With submissions from 6 continents, it’s clear that the future of impact gaming is global, diverse, and deeply human.”
Without further ado, here’s all the nominees and winners from this year’s Games for Change awards:
Best Narrative
- 1000xRESIST – sunset visitor 斜陽遊客
- Closer the Distance – Osmotic Studios
- Indika – Odd Meter (WINNER)
Best In Innovation
- Harold Halibut – Slow Bros.
- In the Current of Being – Cameron Kostopoulos (WINNER)
- Phoenix Springs – Calligram Studio
Best In Learning
- Star Stuff – Animo Games Studio
- Tablecraft – Not Suspicious (WINNER)
- Neohaven Noodles – PRELOADED
Best In Impact
- 1000xRESIST – sunset visitor 斜陽遊客
- Umfeld (social environment) – Hochschule RheinMain (WINNER)
- Velvet 89 – Charles Games, People in Need
Best In Health & Wellness
- DigiCare – prefrontal cortex GmbH
- SIMFONIK – Within Touching Distance
- Vampire Therapist – Little Bat Games (WINNER)
Best In Civics
- Two Falls (Nishu Takuatshina) – Unreliable Narrators
- Kingdom of Rizia – Torpor Games (WINNER)
- Nuclear Negotiator – Jollywise
Best Gameplay
- Closer the Distance – Osmotic Studios
- Neva – Nomada Studio (WINNER)
- Botany Manor – Balloon Studios
Best Platform-Based Project
- Art Leap by the Belvedere Museum in Roblox – Exclusible
- Minecraft National Park – Minecraft
- Seattle Children’s Hospital Minecraft Server – Hive Games & Mojang Studio (WINNER)
Best Student Project
- Prší – Herdek Kolektiv (WINNER)
- Draconian Times – Zach Cohen
- The WereCleaner – The WereCleaner Team
Best In Environmental Impact
- Crab God – Chaos Theory Games (WINNER)
- Bloom: The Saga of the Fertilizer Economy – Field Day Lab
- Creatures of Ava – Inverge Studios
Best In XR
- Impulse: Playing with Reality – Anagram (WINNER)
- Tablecraft – Not Suspicious
- TRACES: The Grief Processor – Couzin Studio
Best Board or Tabletop Game for Impact
- Protection: The Board Game – Gold Bug Interactive, InterAction.org
- Interactive Board Game “Person” – United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), BG Era Games, Palitra L
- Legless in London – Focus Games (WINNER)
2025 Games for Change Special Awards
Beyond recognizing excellence in game and immersive experience categories, the G4C Festival also celebrated seven special award winners (including people, organizations, and projects) that were deemed to have made exceptional contributions to advancing positive change in the games industry.
Accessibility Award
- Botany Manor (Balloon Studios) is a botanical puzzle game that was spotlighted for its use of thoughtful accessibility settings.
Indie Breakout Award
- 1000xRESIST (sunset visitor 斜陽遊客) was given the award for its exploration of diasporas and intergenerational memories through sci-fi storytelling.
G4C Vanguard Award
- Dr. Rachel Kowert received the G4C Vanguard Award for her pioneering work at the intersection of psychology, gaming, and mental health.
Industry Leadership Award
- PRELOADED was honored with the Industry Leadership Award for 25 years of creating meaningful interactive experiences that blend education, culture, and social good.
G4C Giving Award
- Amir Satvat received the G4C Giving Award for his transformative leadership in supporting gaming professionals affected by industry layoffs.
G4C Hall Of Change
- Asi Burak was inducted into the G4C Hall of Change for two decades of dedication to advancing impact games, from his pioneering work on PeaceMaker to his leadership in transforming G4C into an internationally recognized movement.
International Leadership Award
- Gilson Schwartz, President of the G4C Latin America chapter, received the International Leadership Award for 15 years of supporting the global Games for Change movement and transforming São Paulo into a hub for socially impactful games.
For more information on Games for Change, check out their website here.
