The 2026 Green Games Jam Awards, organized by the environmental initiative Playing for the Planet, took place last week at the historic BFI Southbank venue. The event celebrated developers who have pushed the boundaries of sustainable game creation and have woven ecological narratives into their titles.
Over the course of the ceremony, eleven distinct honors were handed out, highlighting the growing importance of environmental consciousness within the interactive entertainment industry. Two studios stood out by capturing multiple accolades.
Northern Forge Studios was celebrated with the Best Small Studio prize and also earned the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) Choice award for its title *Orna: The GPS RPG*. This game, which blends location‑based mechanics with role‑playing elements, was praised for its inventive use of real‑world geography to promote awareness of ecological hotspots and encourage players to explore and protect their surroundings. Runaway Play matched Northern Forge’s success, walking away with Best Storytelling for *Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary* and the Google’s Choice award for *Splash – Fish Aquarium*. *Flutter* was highlighted for its delicate narrative that follows the life cycle of butterflies, using beautiful hand‑drawn art and a gentle soundtrack to illustrate the fragility of pollinator populations.
Meanwhile, *Splash* impressed the judges with its realistic aquarium simulation, which educates players about marine biodiversity and the impact of human activity on ocean ecosystems. In addition to the studio awards, several individual and corporate recognitions were presented. CD Projekt Red received the Changemaker award, acknowledging the company’s ongoing commitment to sustainability through its internal green policies and its support for carbon‑offset projects.
Ustwo Games’ Maria Sayans was honored with the Champion accolade, a testament to her leadership in integrating eco‑friendly practices into game development pipelines and advocating for industry‑wide environmental standards. Rovio Entertainment was celebrated for its fundraising achievements, winning the Best Fundraising award for the continued success of *Angry Birds Friends* and *Angry Birds Dream Blast*. The proceeds from these titles have been directed toward various conservation initiatives, reinforcing the idea that popular games can serve as powerful vehicles for social good. Lisa Pak, the head of operations for Playing for the Planet, remarked, “Each year the Green Game Jam demonstrates how interactive media can bring environmental stories to life and inspire players to become stewards of the planet.” She added that the response from the gaming community to this year’s reef and rainforest themed content had been overwhelmingly positive.
Pak expressed excitement for the upcoming eighth edition of the Green Game Jam, scheduled for 2027, which aims to deepen the dialogue around ecological resilience with millions of players worldwide. The awards ceremony concluded the annual Green Games Summit, a gathering that featured a series of talks and panel discussions with representatives from major industry players such as Hasbro, Supercell, Ustwo Games, Playstack, and many others.
Topics ranged from carbon‑neutral production pipelines to the role of narrative in fostering environmental empathy. Below is a comprehensive list of nominees and the winners that emerged from each category: - **Cards, the Universe and Everything** (Avid Games) – **Lords Mobile** (IGG) – **Seekers Notes** (Mytona) → *Winner: Seekers Notes* (Mytona) - **Cards, the Universe and Everything** (Avid Games) – **Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary** (Runaway Play) – **Orna: The GPS RPG** (Northern Forge Studios) → *Winner: Orna: The GPS RPG* (Northern Forge Studios) - **Hope's Adventure** (Green Leap Games) – **Sunshine Island** (New Moon Studios) – **Splash – Fish Aquarium** → *Winner: Hope's Adventure* (Green Leap Games) - **Lords Mobile** (IGG) – **Call of Dragons** (Lilith Games) – **June's Journey** (Wooga) → *Winner: Lords Mobile* (IGG) - **Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary** (Runaway Play) – **Hope's Adventure** (Green Leap Games) – **June's Journey** (Wooga) → *Winner: Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary* (Runaway Play) - **June's Journey** (Wooga) – **Canasta Fun & Friends, Rummy Fun, Skat Treff & Tarot Classique** (GameDuell) – **Angry Birds Friends & Angry Birds Dream Blast** (Rovio Entertainment) → *Winner: Angry Birds Friends & Angry Birds Dream Blast* (Rovio Entertainment) - **Jonas Goodwin** (Runaway Play) – **Sophie Barteau** (Ubisoft Montreal) – **María Sayans** (Ustwo Games) → *Winner: María Sayans* (Ustwo Games) - **CD Projekt Red** – **Massive Entertainment** – **Megapop** → *Winner: CD Projekt Red* - **Lords Mobile** (IGG) – **Orna: The GPS RPG** (Northern Forge Studios) – **Splash – Fish Aquarium** (Runaway Play) → *Winner: Splash – Fish Aquarium* (Runaway Play) - **Match Masters** (Candivore) – **Hay Day** (Supercell) – **June's Journey** (Wooga) → *Winner: Hay Day* (Supercell) - **Orna: The GPS RPG** (Northern Forge Studios) – **June's Journey** (Wooga) – **Lords Mobile** (IGG) → *Winner: Orna: The GPS RPG* (Northern Forge Studios) The breadth of titles recognized—from mobile puzzles to expansive RPGs—underscores the versatility of games as a medium for environmental education.
Organizers hope that the visibility provided by the awards will inspire more developers to adopt sustainable practices, integrate meaningful ecological narratives, and leverage their platforms to drive real‑world change. The momentum generated by the 2026 ceremony sets a promising foundation for the next year's Green Game Jam, where the focus will shift toward resilience and climate adaptation strategies, engaging an even larger global audience in the mission to safeguard our planet.