The 2026 Green Games Jam Awards, an event organized by the environmental initiative Playing for the Planet, took place last week at the historic BFI Southbank venue. The ceremony celebrated game developers who have pushed the boundaries of sustainable production practices and who have woven environmental themes into their narratives, thereby demonstrating how interactive entertainment can serve as a catalyst for ecological awareness. A total of eleven distinct honors were handed out, and two studios stood out by each securing a pair of awards. Northern Forge Studios was recognized with the Best Small Studio accolade as well as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Choice award for its title *Orna: The GPS RPG*.
Meanwhile, Runaway Play earned the Best Storytelling award for *Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary* and also received Google’s Choice award for *Splash – Fish Aquarium*. In addition to those studio awards, several individual and corporate recognitions were announced.
CD Projekt Red, the renowned Polish developer behind the *Witcher* series, was presented with the Changemaker award for its ongoing commitment to eco‑friendly development and community engagement. Ustwo Games’ chief executive, Maria Sayans, was celebrated with the Champion accolade, highlighting her leadership in integrating sustainability into the company’s creative processes. Rovio Entertainment, the Finnish studio best known for the *Angry Birds* franchise, was lauded with the Best Fundraising award for the charitable impact generated by *Angry Birds Friends* and *Angry Birds Dream Blast*. Lisa Pak, Head of Operations for Playing for the Planet, commented on the significance of the event: “Each year the Green Game Jam demonstrates how games can bring environmental stories to life and inspire players to protect and restore our planet.” She added that the organization was especially encouraged by the enthusiastic response from players to this year’s reef and rainforest themed content, and she hinted at the upcoming eighth edition of the Jam in 2027, which will continue the dialogue on resilience with millions of gamers worldwide.
The awards ceremony marked the conclusion of this year’s Green Games Summit, a gathering that featured a series of talks, panels, and workshops from industry leaders such as Hasbro, Supercell, Ustwo Games, Playstack and many others. The summit provided a platform for developers, publishers, and environmental advocates to exchange ideas on how to make the gaming ecosystem more sustainable, from reducing carbon footprints in production pipelines to designing gameplay that educates players about climate challenges.
Below is the complete roster of nominees and the winners that emerged from each category: - **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) – *Winner* - **Sunshine Island** (New Moon Studios) – *Nominee* - **Splash – Fish Aquarium** (Runaway Play) – *Nominee* - **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 breadth of titles and studios represented at the ceremony underscores the growing momentum behind environmentally conscious game design. Projects like *Orna: The GPS RPG* blend location‑based mechanics with ecological education, encouraging players to explore real‑world spaces while learning about biodiversity. *Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary* uses delicate visual storytelling to highlight the fragility of pollinator populations, and *Splash – Fish Aquarium* offers a soothing simulation that subtly educates users about marine ecosystems and the importance of water conservation.
Beyond the awards themselves, the event served as a reminder that the gaming industry possesses unique storytelling tools that can influence public perception of environmental issues. By rewarding both artistic excellence and sustainable production methods, the Green Games Jam Awards help set industry standards and inspire other developers to adopt greener practices.
As the community looks ahead to the 2027 edition, the hope is that even more innovative titles will emerge, further cementing the role of games as powerful agents for ecological advocacy.