Charlotte Beatty and I had the pleasure of attending the 2025 Games for Change (G4C) Festival, held on June 26–27 at Parsons School of Design in New York City. The event brought together innovators from the gaming, education, health, and social impact sectors, exploring how games and immersive media can foster collaboration across industries. We had the opportunity to listen to the latest social impact innovations from major gaming companies like Minecraft Education, Roblox, Ubisoft and changemakers in the space, such as Sesame Workshop, Ludic Mind Studios, and the Geena Davis Institute.
At Fluent Research, our work frequently intersects with gaming, EdTech, and media. The festival provided valuable insights into the future of these industries, inspiring us with new perspectives on how games can drive education, mental health, and social change. We’re eager to apply these learnings to our work.
Here are a few key takeaways we would like to share with you:
1. Dispelling Gaming Stereotypes
One of the key themes discussed at the festival was debunking conventional gaming stereotypes. Historically viewed as mere entertainment, gaming is now widely recognized as a powerful educational and therapeutic tool. The Geena Davis Institute, for example, detailed their methodology for identifying and addressing harmful stereotypes within games, particularly in fantasy storylines, through critical evaluation and revision of these harmful tropes.
Ludic Mind Studios also presented findings from a study analyzing the portrayal of mental illness across over 100 video games. This research revealed a prevalence of negative depictions, such as “asylums” being presented as sinister environments or individuals with mental health conditions being characterized as villainous or irredeemable. In response, Ludic Mind Studios developed a game, called “The Road Ahead”, that not only features positive mental health narratives but also equips players with practical strategies for managing their mental wellbeing through gameplay.
2. The Transformative Power of Gaming in EdTech
Gaming is fundamentally reshaping the EdTech landscape by delivering highly interactive learning experiences. Educational games effectively capture student engagement in ways that traditional classroom approaches often cannot, cultivating creativity, critical thinking, and collaborative skills while simultaneously enhancing learning enjoyment.
Consider Minecraft Education, which is now being integrated into school curricula to educate students on sustainability. Educators and librarians shared tremendous successes in leveraging Minecraft Education to engage students. In one example, students devised sustainable solutions within the game based on a real-world lab they conducted. Their work earned competition wins, media recognition, and ultimately led to a presentation at the United Nations. These students are now teaching younger learners how to use Minecraft Education to address real-world sustainability challenges.
Additionally, Roblox has introduced mini-games designed to teach young people about recycling, helping them understand the importance of sustainability in an interactive and fun way. These examples underscore gaming’s capacity to stimulate creativity and critical thinking while addressing critical global issues like environmental conservation.
3. Games as a Catalyst for Social Change
Games are rapidly emerging as powerful tools for addressing societal issues. During a panel discussion, the winners of the Unity 2025 Grant introduced their groundbreaking games and their impact on diverse communities. One developer created a game featuring a 3D animated avatar to teach American Sign Language (ASL) called the Small Talk app, offering an innovative communication learning tool for the hearing impaired. Another game immersed students in a large-scale ocean exploration, teaching them about environmental conservation and sustainability called World Ocean Explorer: A Virtual Immersion. Additionally, a robotics medical simulator was developed to assist disabled individuals with limited mobility in more effectively managing their medical care called RCareWorld was awarded the students grant.
Ubisoft also presented their recent initiative for Just Dance, which incorporated a song and dance routine intended to represent what it’s like to have ADHD, helping to create a more positive and accurate representation of neurodiversity. This endeavor reflects EA’s broader commitment to inclusivity and raising awareness about mental health.
These projects are just a fraction of how the gaming industry is leveraging its influence to support underserved communities, enhance access to education, and provide improved care and learning opportunities. The potential for gaming to foster positive social change is truly inspiring.
4. Games for Emotional Regulation
Gaming can also serve as a valuable resource for emotional regulation, with some games specifically designed to assist players in managing stress and anxiety and practicing mindfulness techniques. Ludic Mind Studios has integrated therapeutic aspects into their games, emphasizing emotional awareness and resilience. These games not only entertain but also help players develop emotional intelligence and coping strategies, promoting overall mental wellbeing.
A particularly inspiring project highlighted at the festival came from a group of high school students in Los Angeles who developed a groundbreaking game within Roblox during a Hackathon. The game features an advanced AI system that proactively identifies and filters out negative language or speech directed at a player before reaching the recipient. The game also incorporates communal and restorative play principles. Players collaborate to cultivate a garden: positive remarks add to the greenery, while negative language results in reduced points. However, the player who used negative language is given the opportunity to retract their words and make amends. One of the students, who has been playing Roblox since he was 9 years old, shared a sentiment that resonated with the group: “As a young child, I didn’t understand what the words I was being told meant, I just knew it didn’t feel good, and I wanted to prevent that from happening to another child.” This project illustrates how games can foster a positive, supportive environment for emotional growth and empower players to develop healthier interactions both online and in real-world situations.
5. The Indispensability of Research in Game Design
The speakers at G4C underscored research in game design as an absolutely critical element for creating games that are not only enjoyable but also genuinely impactful. Particularly within the EdTech space, game developers often lack direct access to schools and educators, which complicates a full understanding of their unique needs and the optimal ways to tailor games for educational purposes. Research plays a pivotal role in bridging this gap, enabling developers to glean insights directly from educators and students to design more effective and engaging learning experiences. Collaborative efforts among researchers, educators, and game developers ensure that games are not merely entertaining but also fulfill educational objectives and address practical classroom challenges.
The 2025 Games for Change Festival showcased how far the gaming world has evolved and how much further it can go. From advancing inclusive storytelling and mental health support to transforming classrooms and empowering young creators, games are proving themselves to be powerful tools for learning, connection, and social impact. The ideas and projects we encountered reminded us that meaningful innovation happens at the intersection of creativity, empathy, and research. As games continue to push boundaries across industries, they offer exciting new pathways to solve real-world problems and build more connected, thoughtful, and equitable futures.
By User Experience Researcher Natalia Belchikov
equitable, inclusive, and accessible products for all learners and educators. When asked about priority areas for innovation, the panelists agreed that EdTech companies should focus on developing products that enhance student-teacher communication, particularly using machine learning methods. One panelist gave an example of creating a product that allows schools with larger teacher-to-student ratios to ‘clone teachers.’ Essentially, educators could create a 1-on-1 video or tailored messages for their students who may be struggling with attendance or any other issue impacting their engagement. This would enhance their relationships and ensure students do not fall behind. Interestingly, the panelists also discussed the need to embrace new AI technologies like ChatGPT rather than seeing them as a threat. According to them, these tools are already helping overwhelmed teachers create lesson plans, promoting self-directed learning, and inspiring students to pursue STEM careers.
