The 2026 Green Games Jam Awards, an event organized by the environmental initiative Playing for the Planet, took place last week at the iconic BFI Southbank venue. The ceremony celebrated game creators who have made notable strides in sustainable development practices and in weaving ecological narratives into their titles. Over the course of the evening, eleven distinct honors were handed out, with two studios—Northern Forge Studios and Runaway Play—each walking away with a pair of awards, underscoring their leadership in the emerging field of green gaming. Northern Forge Studios earned the accolade for Best Small Studio, a recognition of its ability to deliver high‑quality experiences while operating on a modest scale.
In addition, the studio’s role‑playing game Orna: The GPS RPG was selected as UNEP’s Choice, highlighting the United Nations Environment Programme’s endorsement of the title’s innovative use of location‑based mechanics to promote environmental awareness. Orna blends traditional RPG elements with real‑world GPS navigation, encouraging players to explore outdoor spaces and learn about local ecosystems as they progress through quests. This dual win showcases how a small team can combine creative design with a strong sustainability ethos.
Runaway Play also secured two honors. Its title Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary was crowned Best Storytelling, reflecting the game’s poignant narrative that follows the life cycle of butterflies and the delicate balance of their habitats.
The game’s art style, sound design, and educational content work together to immerse players in a virtual sanctuary that mirrors real‑world conservation challenges. Runaway Play’s second award, Google’s Choice for Splash – Fish Aquarium, recognized the studio’s ability to craft an engaging aquatic simulation that educates users about marine biodiversity and the impacts of pollution on underwater ecosystems.
Beyond the studio awards, several individual and corporate recognitions were presented. CD Projekt Red received the Changemaker award, acknowledging the company’s commitment to integrating eco‑friendly practices into its development pipelines and its advocacy for greener industry standards.
Meanwhile, Maria Sayans, the chief executive of ustwo games, was honored with the Champion accolade for her leadership in promoting sustainable gaming and for championing diversity and inclusion within the sector. Rovio Entertainment was celebrated for its fundraising efforts, winning Best Fundraising for the continued success of Angry Birds Friends and Angry Birds Dream Blast. These titles have generated significant revenue that the company has directed toward environmental charities, demonstrating how popular franchises can be leveraged for philanthropic impact. Lisa Pak, head of operations at Playing for the Planet, reflected on the significance of the event: "Every year, the Green Game Jam illustrates how interactive media can bring environmental stories to life and inspire players to protect and restore our planet." She added that the response to this year’s reef and rainforest themes had been overwhelmingly positive, and expressed excitement about extending the conversation on ecological resilience to millions of gamers worldwide during the upcoming eighth edition of the Green Game Jam in 2027.
The awards ceremony capped off the Green Games Summit, a multi‑day gathering that featured panels and talks from industry heavyweights such as Hasbro, Supercell, ustwo games, Playstack, and others. Discussions centered on topics ranging from carbon‑neutral production pipelines to the role of narrative in fostering environmental stewardship. Below is a comprehensive rundown of the nominees and winners from each category at the 2026 ceremony: - **Cards, the Universe and Everything** (Avid Games) vs.
**Lords Mobile** (IGG) vs. **Seekers Notes** (Mytona) – *Winner: Seekers Notes (Mytona)* - **Cards, the Universe and Everything** (Avid Games) vs. **Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary** (Runaway Play) vs.
**Orna: The GPS RPG** (Northern Forge Studios) – *Winner: Orna: The GPS RPG (Northern Forge Studios)* - **Hope's Adventure** (Green Leap Games) vs. **Sunshine Island** (New Moon Studios) vs. **Splash – Fish Aquarium** – *Winner: Hope's Adventure (Green Leap Games)* - **Lords Mobile** (IGG) vs.
**Call of Dragons** (Lilith Games) vs. **June's Journey** (Wooga) – *Winner: Lords Mobile (IGG)* - **Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary** (Runaway Play) vs. **Hope's Adventure** (Green Leap Games) vs.
**June's Journey** (Wooga) – *Winner: Flutter: Butterfly Sanctuary (Runaway Play)* - **June's Journey** (Wooga) vs. **Canasta Fun & Friends, Rummy Fun, Skat Treff & Tarot Classique** (GameDuell) vs. **Angry Birds Friends & Angry Birds Dream Blast** (Rovio Entertainment) – *Winner: Angry Birds Friends & Angry Birds Dream Blast (Rovio Entertainment)* - **Jonas Goodwin** (Runaway Play) vs. **Sophie Barteau** (Ubisoft Montreal) vs.
**María Sayans** (ustwo games) – *Winner: María Sayans (ustwo games)* - **CD Projekt Red** vs. **Massive Entertainment** vs. **Megapop** – *Winner: CD Projekt Red* - **Lords Mobile** (IGG) vs.
**Orna: The GPS RPG** (Northern Forge Studios) vs. **Splash – Fish Aquarium** (Runaway Play) – *Winner: Splash – Fish Aquarium (Runaway Play)* - **Match Masters** (Candivore) vs.
**Hay Day** (Supercell) vs. **June's Journey** (Wooga) – *Winner: Hay Day (Supercell)* - **Orna: The GPS RPG** (Northern Forge Studios) vs. **June's Journey** (Wooga) vs. **Lords Mobile** (IGG) – *Winner: Orna: The GPS RPG (Northern Forge Studios)* These results highlight a growing trend within the gaming community: developers are increasingly intertwining gameplay with messages about sustainability, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
By awarding titles that excel in both mechanics and ecological messaging, the Green Games Jam encourages the industry to view environmental responsibility not as a peripheral concern but as a core component of game design. As the sector looks ahead to the 2027 edition, organizers anticipate expanding the scope of the competition to include new categories such as carbon‑footprint reduction in production, circular economy initiatives for hardware, and community‑driven environmental projects. The continued partnership between game studios, NGOs like UNEP, and tech giants such as Google underscores a collaborative effort to harness the persuasive power of interactive media for the planet’s benefit.