Games for Change Announces 2025 Award Finalists

I’ve always believed that games mean something. Whether they educate, raise awareness, provide a space for self-expression, or simply help people feel seen. Games have the power to create real impact. Thankfully, I’m not alone in that belief. Games for Change, the leading nonprofit championing the use of games and immersive media for social impact, has just announced the finalists for the 2025 Games for Change Awards.

This year saw nearly 800 submissions from 55 countries, a 10% increase from 2024, with over 60% coming from outside the United States, proof that meaningful games are gaining global momentum. The winners will be revealed during the G4C Awards Ceremony on June 26th at 6:30 PM ET, hosted by Spawn On Me’s Kahlief Adams and streamed live on Twitch.

“As our community has expanded worldwide, so has the impact and breadth of the games we celebrate. This year’s finalists demonstrate the power of games and immersive experiences to address both local and global challenge.

With creators from four continents tackling everything from environmental sustainability to mental health, these projects demonstrate how powerful this medium can be to explore
complex issues. What impresses me the most is how the finalists blend immense creativity with purpose. These are both great games and a gateway to understanding and acting on some of today’s most pressing challenges.”

— Games for Change President Susanna Pollack

The G4C Awards celebrate games across 11 unique categories, recognizing excellence in storytelling, gameplay, and social, civic, and cultural impact. New this year is the "Best Platform-Based Project" category, which honors projects built within established platforms, like Roblox or Minecraft, that use their communities and tools to inspire change. Notably, there was a 30% increase in entries for the Best Environmental Impact category, and a 34% jump in XR submissions, reflecting a growing industry focus on sustainability and immersive tech.

Here are the finalists for the 2025 Games for Change Awards:

Best Narrative

• 1000xRESIST – sunset visitor 斜陽遊客

• Closer the Distance – Osmotic Studios

• Indika – Odd Meter

Best in Innovation

• Harold Halibut – Slow Bros.

• In the Current of Being – Cameron Kostopoulos

• Phoenix Springs – Calligram Studio

Best in Learning

• Star Stuff – Animo Games Studio

• Tablecraft – Not Suspicious

• Neohaven Noodles – PRELOADED

Best in Impact

• 1000xRESIST – sunset visitor 斜陽遊客

• Umfeld (Social Environment) – Hochschule RheinMain

• Velvet 89 – Charles Games, People in Need

Best in Health & Wellness

• DigiCare – prefrontal cortex GmbH

• SIMFONIK – Within Touching Distance

• Vampire Therapist – Little Bat Games

Best in Civics

• Two Falls (Nishu Takuashina) – Unreliable Narrators

• Kingdom of Riza – Torpor Games

• Nuclear Negotiator – Jollywise

Best Gameplay

• Closer the Distance – Osmotic Studios

• Neva – Nomada Studio

• Botany Manor – Balloon Studios

Best Platform-Based Project

• Art Leap – Belvedere Museum in Roblox, by Exclusible

• Minecraft National Park – Minecraft

• Seattle Children’s Hospital Server – Hive Games & Mojang Studio

Best Student Project

• Prší – Herdek Kolektiv

• Draconian Times – Zach Cohen

• The WereCleaner – The WereCleaner Team

Best in Environmental Impact

• Crab God – Chaos Theory Games

• Bloom: The Saga of the Fertilizer Economy – Field Day Lab

• Creatures of Ava – Inverge Studios

Best in XR

• Tablecraft – Not Suspicious

• TRACES: The Grief Processor – Couzin Studio

• Impulse: Playing with Reality – Anagram

To all the nominated teams and creators—congratulations. Using games as a vehicle for good instead of just profit is, to me, what this industry should be about. Games have always been built by and for communities, and seeing developers dedicate their work to making a difference is more than inspiring—it’s necessary.

Good luck to all the finalists!