Unveiling the Winners of the 2025 Games for Change Awards

The nonprofit organization Games for Change has officially announced the recipients of its 2025 awards. The winners include Odd Meter's Indika, which took home the awards for Best Narrative and Game of the Year, and Nomada Studios' Neva, which won the Best Gameplay award. Additionally, Sunset Visitor's 1000xResist received the Indie Breakout Award. Other notable winners include Tilting Point's chief business officer Asi Burak, who won the Hall of Change Award, and Games for Change Latin America chapter president Gilson Schwartz, who received the International Leadership Award. This year's Games for Change Awards saw an impressive 800 submissions from 55 countries. The winners were revealed during a live ceremony at the 2025 Games for Change Festival, held at the Parsons School of Design at The New School in New York. According to Games for Change president Susanna Pollack, "These award winners represent a significant breakthrough in impact gaming, showcasing the incredible range of human experiences that games can address, from mental health and accessibility to environmental action and personal resilience." Pollack further emphasized, "We're witnessing creators push the boundaries of what's possible across every platform and medium, leveraging cutting-edge technology, innovative storytelling, and thoughtful design to tackle deeply personal challenges while reaching global audiences." She concluded, "With submissions from six continents, it's clear that the future of impact gaming is global, diverse, and deeply human." The full list of Games for Change Award winners is as follows: Industry Leader Award: Preloaded, Hall of Change Award: Asi Burak, Best Narrative and Game of the Year: Indika (Odd Meter), Indie Breakout Award: 1000xResist (Sunset Visitor), Best in Innovation: In the Current of Being (Cameron Kostopoulos), Best Student Project: Prší (Herdek Kolektiv), Best in Learning: Tablecraft (Not Suspicious), Best in Health and Wellness: Vampire Therapist (Little Bat Games), Best in Civics: Kingdom of Rizia (Torpor Games), Best Gameplay: Neva (Nomada Studio), Best Board or Tabletop Game for Impact: Legless in London (Focus Games), Vanguard Award: Rachel Kowert, Giving Award: Amir Satvat, International Leadership Award: Gilson Schwartz, Accessibility Award: Botany Manor (Balloon Studios), Best in Environmental Impact: Crab God (Chaos Theory Games), Best in Impact: Umfeld [social environment] (Hochschule RheinMain), Best in XR: Impulse: Playing with Reality (Anagram), and Best Platform-based project: Seattle Children's Hospital Minecraft Server (Hive Games and Mojang Studios).