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Games for Change Unveils 2020 “Best of” Video Game
& XR Winners
Dreams Wins “Game of the Year” and “Most Innovative”
Sky: Children of the Light Wins “People’s Choice” and “Best Gameplay”
Sky: Children of the Light Wins “People’s Choice” and “Best Gameplay”
NEW YORK (June 14, 2020) – Dreams from Media Molecule was crowned this year’s Games for Change Game of the Year as well as Most Innovative. With more than 14,000 votes, Sky: Children of the Light from thatgamecompany was awarded the annual People’s Choice award (presented by Facebook Gaming) as well as Best Gameplay. The winners were announced this evening during the 2020 Games for Change Virtual Festival’s Awards Ceremony.
This year’s Games for Change Awards were the most competitive in the Festival’s 17-year history – with over 200 game submissions across six categories: Best Gameplay, Most Innovative, Most Significant Impact, Best Learning Game, Best Student Game, and Best XR for Change. Additionally, voting for People’s Choice eclipsed previous years with 14-times as many votes cast over last year.
This year’s Games for Change Awards were the most competitive in the Festival’s 17-year history – with over 200 game submissions across six categories: Best Gameplay, Most Innovative, Most Significant Impact, Best Learning Game, Best Student Game, and Best XR for Change. Additionally, voting for People’s Choice eclipsed previous years with 14-times as many votes cast over last year.
“The 2020 Games for Change winners are redefining the boundaries of technology, empowering an ever-diversifying audience, and exemplifying what it means to use technology for good,” said Susanna Pollack, president of Games for Change. “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.”
2020 Games for Change – Award Winners
Game of the Year and Most Innovative Game: Dreams from Media Molecule (PlayStation 4)
Experience the dreams of Media Molecule and others in the Dreams community. Here, players can create their own dreams, whether they are games, art, films, music or anything in-between and beyond.
Best Gameplay and People’s Choice: Sky: Children of the Light from thatgamecompany (iOS)
Celebrating its one-year anniversary this week with more than 20 million downloads, Sky explores the buried mysteries to rebuild a fallen kingdom for its ancient inhabitants above the clouds. Using courage and compassion, players must connect as a community to share and build on their flame to spread light back into the world.
“Games for Change has always had a significant place in our hearts, and so we thank you for recognizing Sky and our hard-working team,” said Jenova Chen, co-founder and creative director of thatgamecompany. “Designing games for positive behaviors and social impact is more important than ever before. We applaud all game creators who dedicate efforts to further develop and collaborate in this space, and can’t wait to see what you do for next year!”
Most Significant Impact: Sea of Solitude from Jo-Mei (PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4)
Sea of Solitude is a 3D adventure in which a young woman embarks on a journey, trying to find out why she turned into a monster, and what happened to the monsters she encounters along the way. It is a story about overcoming loneliness and self-reflection.
Best Learning Game: Rabbids Coding from Ubisoft (PC)
A fun educational game, Rabbids Coding aims to teach players of all ages the basics of programming as the Rabbids invade space and turn the spaceship upside down. Rabbids Coding is an entirely FREE programming and educational tool, available on Uplay.
Best Student Game: Resilience from Sungrazer Studio, Drexel University (PC, Mac, Linux)
Created by a team of students from Drexel University, Resilience is a humanitarian sci-fi city-builder that fosters empathy for displaced peoples and explores how the distribution of resources impacts civilian wellbeing in refugee camps. Students consulted with advisors from Drexel’s Game Design, Computer Science, and Political Science departments in order to balance compelling gameplay with respectful and accurate portrayals of real-world situations.
Best XR for Change: The Holy City from Nimrod Shanit (Oculus Rift, Oculus Rift S, HTC Vive)
The Holy City is a one-of-a-kind virtual reality experience and engaging sensory story of the world's spiritual epicenter. The Holy City will showcase the holiest sites of Jerusalem using volumetric scanning and Stereo 360 VR filming, including Western Wall, the Holy Sepulchre, Al-Aqsa Mosque and The Dome of the Rock.
Game entries came from established AAA studios, indie developers, and university-level students, and exemplify this year’s Games for Change Festival themes of resilience, connectedness, and well-being. A juror panel representing 70 game developers, researchers, and experts in game design selected the finalists and winners.
In addition to the “best of” video game and XR of 2020, the Games for Change Award ceremony also recognized Gordon Bellamy as 2020 G4C Vanguard Award recipient, Microsoft for the Industry Leadership Award and Humble Bundle for the inaugural G4C Giving Award.
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.
All copyrights, trademarks, logos and brands are property of their respective owners.
2020 Games for Change – Award Winners
Game of the Year and Most Innovative Game: Dreams from Media Molecule (PlayStation 4)
Experience the dreams of Media Molecule and others in the Dreams community. Here, players can create their own dreams, whether they are games, art, films, music or anything in-between and beyond.
Best Gameplay and People’s Choice: Sky: Children of the Light from thatgamecompany (iOS)
Celebrating its one-year anniversary this week with more than 20 million downloads, Sky explores the buried mysteries to rebuild a fallen kingdom for its ancient inhabitants above the clouds. Using courage and compassion, players must connect as a community to share and build on their flame to spread light back into the world.
“Games for Change has always had a significant place in our hearts, and so we thank you for recognizing Sky and our hard-working team,” said Jenova Chen, co-founder and creative director of thatgamecompany. “Designing games for positive behaviors and social impact is more important than ever before. We applaud all game creators who dedicate efforts to further develop and collaborate in this space, and can’t wait to see what you do for next year!”
Most Significant Impact: Sea of Solitude from Jo-Mei (PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4)
Sea of Solitude is a 3D adventure in which a young woman embarks on a journey, trying to find out why she turned into a monster, and what happened to the monsters she encounters along the way. It is a story about overcoming loneliness and self-reflection.
Best Learning Game: Rabbids Coding from Ubisoft (PC)
A fun educational game, Rabbids Coding aims to teach players of all ages the basics of programming as the Rabbids invade space and turn the spaceship upside down. Rabbids Coding is an entirely FREE programming and educational tool, available on Uplay.
Best Student Game: Resilience from Sungrazer Studio, Drexel University (PC, Mac, Linux)
Created by a team of students from Drexel University, Resilience is a humanitarian sci-fi city-builder that fosters empathy for displaced peoples and explores how the distribution of resources impacts civilian wellbeing in refugee camps. Students consulted with advisors from Drexel’s Game Design, Computer Science, and Political Science departments in order to balance compelling gameplay with respectful and accurate portrayals of real-world situations.
Best XR for Change: The Holy City from Nimrod Shanit (Oculus Rift, Oculus Rift S, HTC Vive)
The Holy City is a one-of-a-kind virtual reality experience and engaging sensory story of the world's spiritual epicenter. The Holy City will showcase the holiest sites of Jerusalem using volumetric scanning and Stereo 360 VR filming, including Western Wall, the Holy Sepulchre, Al-Aqsa Mosque and The Dome of the Rock.
Game entries came from established AAA studios, indie developers, and university-level students, and exemplify this year’s Games for Change Festival themes of resilience, connectedness, and well-being. A juror panel representing 70 game developers, researchers, and experts in game design selected the finalists and winners.
In addition to the “best of” video game and XR of 2020, the Games for Change Award ceremony also recognized Gordon Bellamy as 2020 G4C Vanguard Award recipient, Microsoft for the Industry Leadership Award and Humble Bundle for the inaugural G4C Giving Award.
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.
All copyrights, trademarks, logos and brands are property of their respective owners.