The 2026 Green Games Jam Awards, an event organized by the environmental initiative Playing for the Planet, took place last week at London’s iconic BFI Southbank. The ceremony celebrated game creators who have excelled in integrating sustainability concepts and ecological narratives into their titles, highlighting the growing importance of environmental stewardship within the interactive entertainment industry.
A total of eleven distinct honors were handed out, and two studios stood out by each securing a pair of accolades. Northern Forge Studios was recognized with the Best Small Studio prize as well as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Choice award for its title Orna: The GPS RPG, a game that blends location‑based mechanics with a fantasy role‑playing experience while subtly encouraging players to think about their real‑world surroundings.
Runaway Play also walked away with two honors, taking home the Best Storytelling award for Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary—a gentle, narrative‑driven adventure that uses the life cycle of butterflies as a metaphor for ecological balance—and the Google’s Choice award for Splash – Fish Aquarium, a visually striking aquarium simulation that showcases marine biodiversity and the challenges faced by ocean ecosystems. In addition to the studio‑specific categories, several individual and corporate recognitions were presented.
CD Projekt Red received the prestigious Changemaker award, acknowledging its ongoing commitment to using its platform and resources to promote climate‑positive initiatives and to inspire other developers to adopt greener practices. The Champion accolade was awarded to Maria Sayans, the chief executive officer of ustwo games, whose leadership has been instrumental in embedding sustainability into the company’s creative pipeline and community outreach programs.
Rovio Entertainment earned the Best Fundraising award for its continued success with the Angry Birds Friends and Angry Birds Dream Blast titles, which have generated significant charitable contributions toward environmental causes. The event’s host, Lisa Pak, head of operations at Playing for the Planet, emphasized the broader impact of the Green Game Jam: “Each year the Jam demonstrates how interactive media can bring urgent environmental stories to life, motivating players worldwide to take part in protecting and restoring our planet.” She added that the positive reception to this year’s reef and rainforest‑themed content has encouraged the organization to keep the conversation about ecological resilience alive, with plans for the eighth edition of the Green Game Jam slated for 2027. The awards ceremony concluded the annual Green Games Summit, a gathering that featured a series of talks, panels, and workshops with industry leaders from companies such as Hasbro, Supercell, ustwo games, Playstack, and many others.
Participants discussed topics ranging from carbon‑neutral development pipelines to the use of games as educational tools for climate literacy. Below is a comprehensive list of the nominees and winners that were highlighted during the ceremony: - **Cards, the Universe and Everything** (Avid Games) – Nominee - **Lords Mobile** (IGG) – Nominee - **Seekers Notes** (Mytona) – **Winner** - **Cards, the Universe and Everything** (Avid Games) – Nominee - **Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary** (Runaway Play) – Nominee - **Orna: The GPS RPG** (Northern Forge Studios) – **Winner** - **Hope's Adventure** (Green Leap Games) – Nominee - **Sunshine Island** (New Moon Studios) – Nominee - **Splash – Fish Aquarium** (Runaway Play) – Nominee (Winner in a later category) - **Lords Mobile** (IGG) – **Winner** - **Call of Dragons** (Lilith Games) – Nominee - **June's Journey** (Wooga) – Nominee - **Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary** (Runaway Play) – **Winner** - **Hope's Adventure** (Green Leap Games) – Nominee - **June's Journey** (Wooga) – Nominee - **June's Journey** (Wooga) – Nominee - **Canasta Fun & Friends, Rummy Fun, Skat Treff & Tarot Classique** (GameDuell) – Nominee - **Angry Birds Friends & Angry Birds Dream Blast** (Rovio Entertainment) – **Winner** - **Jonas Goodwin** (Runaway Play) – Nominee - **Sophie Barteau** (Ubisoft Montreal) – Nominee - **María Sayans** (ustwo games) – **Winner** - **CD Projekt Red** – **Winner** - **Massive Entertainment** – Nominee - **Megapop** – Nominee - **Lords Mobile** (IGG) – Nominee - **Orna: The GPS RPG** (Northern Forge Studios) – Nominee - **Splash – Fish Aquarium** (Runaway Play) – **Winner** - **Match Masters** (Candivore) – Nominee - **Hay Day** (Supercell) – **Winner** - **June's Journey** (Wooga) – Nominee - **Orna: The GPS RPG** (Northern Forge Studios) – **Winner** - **June's Journey** (Wooga) – Nominee - **Lords Mobile** (IGG) – Nominee The ceremony not only highlighted individual achievements but also underscored a broader industry shift toward environmentally conscious design. Developers are increasingly exploring ways to embed sustainability into gameplay mechanics, narrative arcs, and even the production process itself. By awarding titles that successfully merge entertainment with ecological awareness, the Green Games Jam reinforces the message that games can be powerful vehicles for change, capable of reaching diverse audiences and fostering a deeper connection to the natural world.
Looking ahead, the organizers anticipate that the 2027 edition will expand its scope, inviting even more studios to showcase innovative solutions for climate challenges. The continued partnership between game creators, NGOs, and technology firms promises to drive forward a new era of green gaming, where every pixel and line of code contributes to a healthier planet.