Games for Change to Host Live Pitch Event for Game Developers at Annual Games for Change Festival

Games for Change has announced that it will host a live pitch event at its annual Games for Change Festival (July 31 – Aug 2). Submissions are now open through June 30.

Specifically, Games for Change is looking for games that creatively respond to current political events and encourage civic engagement, understanding, collaboration, and respectful dialogue. Think, how games can address political events unfolding in the United States and around the world that have caused significant division or disruption. The on-stage pitch session invites select game creators to present their in-progress games to a live jury and audience.

Civics & Social Issues Keynote Speakers Include:

• Madeline Di Nonno (CEO of the Geena Davis Institute) presents the institute’s groundbreaking research tool, the GD-IQ (Geena Davis Inclusion Quotient) to evaluate gender bias in media.
• Paolo Pedercini (game developer, artist and educator, Molleindustria / Carnegie Mellon University) looks at games in the current political climate through protest games and playful resistance.
• Mary Flanagan (director, Tiltfactor Lab at Dartmouth College) shares how to get hard evidence out of a game for social change.
• Tracy Fullerton (director of the Game Innovation Lab at the USC School of Cinematic Arts) discusses why games for the humanities like Walden, a game are critical even as their federal funding is threatened.
• Colleen Macklin (professor at Parsons School of Design and founder and co-director of PETLab) examines the ways that games and play are political.

Additionally, the Civics & Social Issues track at the festival will host speakers who will address these hotwire topics.

Game developers can apply here – https://form.jotformpro.com/71418471849970

Related: Programming Announced by G4C for 14th Annual Games for Change Festival

Galit Gordon

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I'm a published author and proud US Army veteran who happens to be a gamer, so I decided to combine the two and love every minute of it! Feel free to contact me with any questions or comments and I'll be sure to get back to you.

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