News

What did we learn at the 2026 Green Game Summit?

Organised around the theme of resilience, this year's summit took a more assertive, action-focused tone, bringing together climate scientists, games leaders, designers and public opinion experts to explore how to adapt to change, build resilience across people, planet and play, and turn ambition into practical action.

2026 Green Games Awards Winners Announced

Eleven awards were presented at BFI Southbank yesterday, honouring the studios and individuals across the video games industry demonstrating excellence in sustainable game development and environmental storytelling.

Green Games Summit 2026 Agenda

The Green Games Summit is back on September 17, 2026 to discuss and shape the games industry’s ongoing response to the environmental challenges we face and to celebrate the businesses leading the way towards a more sustainable future. Our 2026 event theme, Resilient for the Future.

Finalists announced for the 2026 Green Game Jam Awards - plus two industry awards

Playing for the Planet today announced the finalists of the 2026 Green Game Jam Awards, the initiative’s annual challenge for live games with existing audiences. The winners will be announced on 17th September at the Green Games Summit, where two additional awards will be presented: the Changemaker and the Champion Award.

Green Games Summit 2026

The Green Games Summit 2026 will bring together leaders from across the global video games industry to explore one of the defining themes of our time: resilience.

Playing for the Planet 2025 Impact Report

Today we’ve published our 2025 Impact Report, highlighting another year of collective progress as the global games industry continues to work together to accelerate decarbonisation and inspire players to take action for the planet.

Playing for the Planet x Kinda Funny

We’re teaming up with Kinda Funny to bring you our first ever Playing for the Planet charity livestream!

70 Games release exclusive content globally for Green Game Jam 2026

Today is the official go live launch of the 2026 Green Game Jam, with 70 participating games beginning to roll out new in-game environmental activations to players worldwide.

Beyond the Endgame: How Climate and Nature Enhance Game Narrative

Today we unveiled “Beyond the Endgame: How Climate and Nature Enhance Game Narratives” a new resource designed to help game studios integrate themes of climate, nature, and the environment into the worlds and stories they create.

GDC 2026

Now we’ve had time to recover from the jet lag, here’s the Playing for the Planet team’s five key takeaways from this year’s GDC…

57 Green Game Jam 2026 Participants Announced

We're excited to announce a record-breaking, and increasingly global line-up, of games set to go live with new in-game content from 5 June 2026 for the 2026 Green Game Jam! Will your favourite game be Team Reef or Team Rainforest?

All still to play for - opinion

Sam Barratt, co-founder of the Playing for the Planet Alliance, speaks to Gamesindustry.biz about how the games industry has an important role to play in the climate agenda.

Got new gaming tech for Christmas?

We shared some tips and tricks with RadioTimes.com to help the planet while playing with the shiny new tech received for Christmas!

Thank you for a fantastic 2025 from Playing for the Planet!

It’s wrapped season! So we’ve jumped on the bandwagon (sort of) and taken a look back at Playing for the Planet’s year…

Unveiling Our 2026 Green Game Jam Impact Partners: Oceana and Rainforest Alliance for 2026

Playing for the Planet is excited to announce its impact partners for the Green Game Jam 2026: Oceana and the Rainforest Alliance, two of the largest organisations it has worked with during the project’s history.

Playing for the Planet publishes "The Game Studio's Guide to Net Zero Targets"

Playing for the Planet today published “The Games Studio’s Guide to Net Zero Targets”, a tailored resource for games industry businesses to navigate the process of setting credible net zero targets.

Five key take aways from the Green Games Summit 2025

Last week, CEOs and leading developers from the games industry came together in London for the 2025 Green Games Summit and the Green Game Jam and Playing for the Planet Awards.

Playing for the Planet partner with Games for Change Student Challenge 2025

The Games for Change Student Challenge 2025 submission portal is now OPEN and Playing for the Planet are proud to be a partner of this incredible challenge!

Playing for the Planet and Green Game Jam 2025 winners revealed

The 15 awards were given out last night at the BFI Southbank to studios and individuals demonstrating excellence in the field of sustainable game development and pro-environmental storytelling.

All speakers announced for Green Games Summit and Playing for the Planet Awards

We’re delighted to announce more speakers for the Playing for the Planet Green Games Summit and Awards, being held on the 6th of November at London’s BFI Southbank.

First speakers announced for Playing for the Planet’s Green Games Summit and Awards

We’re thrilled to announce the first round of speakers for the Playing for the Planet Green Games Summit and Awards, being held on the 6th of November at London’s BFI Southbank.

Here are the nominees for this year's Playing for the Planet Awards

If you’d like to come and celebrate with us at this year’s awards show in London’s BFI on November 6th, there’s still time to sign up.

The Playing for the Planet Awards are back for 2025: Here's everything you need to know

A spotlight to outstanding sustainability work from across the video games ecosystem - but what are the details?

Playing for the Planet’s 2024 Annual Impact Report celebrates anniversary year of Alliance milestones

Playing for the Planet’s Annual Impact report provides a year-on-year accountability opportunity for the work of the Alliance and its membership. Each section provides an update on the Alliance’s key focus areas and how well the objectives set for 2024 the year prior have been met.

Playing for the Planet teams up with Playgama and GameDistribution to expand the impact into browser gaming

The Playing for the Planet Alliance is excited to announce an expansion of our annual Green Game Jam initiative, as we partner with Playgama.com and GameDistribution by Azerion to launch the inaugural Green Web Game Jam 2025. This collaboration marks a significant milestone in our mission to harness the power of games for enviro

How the Games Industry Can Model a more Sustainable Future for Events

Our Sustainable Games Events Guide is here to help, aggregating best practice from across the industry into an easy to use handbook for organisers to begin implementing positive environmental change.

6th Annual 2025 Green Game Jam Kicks Off Today, World Environment Day, with Record Number of Studios and new Theme: Nature

The Playing for the Planet Alliance, an initiative facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), marks the culmination of five months of hard work from the 57 studios participating in its annual Green Game Jam with the project’s official Go-Live date.

The Playing for the Planet Carbon Calculator is Out Now

Following a year of beta testing with our members, we're delighted to announce that the calculator has now launched as an industry-wide resource, available for anyone looking to begin measuring, and taking action on, their emissions as a games organisation

How to Design Environmental Content in Games that Players Actually Want

Our new research offers an evidence-based playbook for designing green activations with impact, and getting your players engaged on taking action for the environment.

Playing for the Planet unveils “Nature” as the 2025 Green Game Jam theme with 57 participating game teams

The Playing for the Planet Alliance, an initiative facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), has officially announced the return of its annual Green Game Jam and unveiled the names of the 57 studios joining, which range from TiMi Studio Group, Rovio, Supercell and Ubisoft, from 27 countries who will work to

Playing for the Planet: Five Years On, Five Years Onward - Part Three

In the final part of this series exploring the work of the Playing for the Planet Alliance five years on from its foundation, George Osborn examines how the structure of the Alliance has evolved over the past half decade to help it deliver upon its goals.

Entering the Green Game Jam 2025? Five tips for success in next year’s awards…

If you're entering the Green Game Jam this year and fancy your chance at the awards, read on for some top tips for success.‍

Wooga’s Journey Through the CSRD Challenge

Maike Steinweller is Director of Communications at Wooga, who joined Playing for the Planet as the Alliance's 50th member last year. Here, she shares about the journey the studio has been on to report against the EU’s new Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.

Playing for the Planet: Five Years On, Five Years Onward - Part Two

In the second part of our series exploring the work of the Playing for the Planet Alliance, five years on from its foundation, George Osborn explores the progress that the industry has made to practically reduce emissions within its supply chain.

Playing for the Planet: Five Years On, Five Years Onward - Part One

The first of our three part series looking at the past, present, and future of Playing for the Planet, as explored by games industry veteran and business consultant, George Osborn.

Sixth Edition Green Game Jam

The sixth edition of the Green Game Jam is now open to any live game with an existing audience. Nature is critical for all live on earth and we can’t take it for granted, yet that’s currently what is happening. Make sure to sign up your studio before Friday January 31st.

Playing for the Planet Awards hosts first-ever show in Helsinki as winners announced

The Playing for the Planet Awards Saw 13 Winners Take the Stage from Ceremony Hosted at the Metacore Headquarters in Helsinki, Finland

Playing for the Planet announces nominees for the inaugural Playing for the Planet Awards

Playing For The Planet Awards feature 13 categories that celebrate and showcase the industry’s great work when it comes to sustainability, climate and the environment. 

Celebrating five years of Playing for the Planet

Looking back on milestones, challenges, and lessons for the future as the Alliance reaches its fifth anniversary since launching at the 2019 UN General Assembly in New York.

Apply now for the inaugural Playing for the Planet Awards

As an extension of the annual awards to recognize participants of the Green Game Jam, Playing for the Planet will this year widen its focus to include the whole games industry between 2023 and 2024.

Tencent Games is this year's gamescom sustainability award winner

President of Tencent Americas Brent Irvin accepted the award from Playing for the Planet at gamescom Opening Night Live on Tuesday

Awards categories and criteria announced for Green Game Jam

Now in its 5th year, the GGJ celebrates the work of its developers through a final awards ceremony, with eight awards up for grabs.

Carbon Calculator: Now Available for Members in Beta

The new carbon accounting tool built with, and for, studios, publishers, and other games industry organisations goes live for Alliance members ahead of a public rollout in early 2025.

Studios in Green Game Jam come together to learn-by-doing for Earth Week

From 16th April through to the 1st May, Green Game Jam participants all over the world hosted events for their employee to think more about how players can narrow consider the choices they make in their day to day lives.

Humble and Playing for the Planet release bundle for World Environment Day

We’re excited to announce this latest partnership with Alliance member Humble Bundle - offering seven beautifully crafted, heartfelt games at a steal of a discount, with proceeds going to the Global Foodbanking Network (GFN), chosen by Humble.

How you can join #GenerationRestoration for World Environment Day

Our summary of UNEP's a practical guide to this year's World Environment Day theme - land restoration. Covering what individuals, households/offices and businesses in the games industry can do to help fight the process of land degradation, desertification and drought.

Green Game Jam teaches studios to connect games to real-world action

To help studios connect the real world with the digital, we brought in some experts in environmentalist game design. Over the course of three workshops, they taught our participants the theory and psychology behind designing activations that will empower players towards pro-environmental action.

Playing for the Planet and The Carbon Trust to develop carbon calculator

The Carbon Trust's Matt Anderson shares more details about the development of Playing for the Planet's upcoming Scope 3 carbon calculation tool. Based on last year's 'Untangling the carbon complexities of the video gaming industry,' the calculator is set to release later this Spring.

Africa’s first Green Games Summit wraps up with a call for action on nature

"With more than 3 billion people playing video games worldwide, there is huge potential to reach outside our traditional networks to mobilise video gaming and digital communities for the planet” said Susan Gardner, Director of Ecosystems Division at UNEP, opening day two of the Green Games Summit.

Green Games Summit: Five take-aways from the conference on Day One

Many people desperately wanted to come to the first Green Game Summit in Nairobi,Kenya but couldn’t make it. For those that missed out, here's a recap of the first day at the Africa Game Centre in Nairobi, with some of the leading pioneers showcasing best-in class thinking on this agenda.

10 ways your studio can play for the planet, from longstanding Alliance member Nic Walker

‍Nic Walker is the former COO of Playing for the Planet member Space Ape, and has been involved with the Alliance since its origins in 2019. Here, he shares his experience for studios beginning their sustainability journey, and explores how the games industry can continue to step up as a leading force for good.

Africa’s first-ever Green Games Summit set for Nairobi in February 2024

Leaders from the games industry, the UN and world governments will meet in Nairobi for the inaugural Green Games Summit, taking place just before the 6th session of the UN Environment Assembly at UNEP headquarters and aiming to harness the power of gaming for an environmental agenda.

78 games join Playing for the Planet’s Green Game Jam in biggest year ever

78 games join Playing for the Planet’s Green Game Jam in its most ambitious year, with titles such as Subway Surfers and Farmville participating in the annual challenge. The goal this year is to use video games to encourage 1 million players to take one action in real life for the environment.

What to expect from Playing for the Planet in 2024 - a milestone year

2024 marks an important milestone for Playing for the Planet, as the Alliance celebrates five years since first launching at the 2019 Climate Summit in New York City’s UN Headquarters. Here’s just a small overview of what you can expect from Playing for the Planet in the upcoming year, and beyond. 

Untangling the carbon complexities of the video gaming industry

For the past 12 months, members of the Playing for the Planet have been working with the Carbon Trust to bring clarity on where are the biggest sources of emissions in games, who is liable for them new areas to address in the years ahead.

Green Studio of the Year announced as part of Gamescom Goes Green initative

This year's gamescom Green Studio of the year award was one of our toughest calls yet. We have been looking for bold, system-changing, innovative, and creative ways to tackle the climate crisis. In the end two studios went toe-to-toe but in the end the final 2023 winner clinched it by a finger-nail.

Supercell, Wooga, and Outfit 7 win at the the 2023 Green Game Awards in London

Seven studios were crowned winners of the 2023 Green Game Jam including Trailmix’s Love & Pies, Supercell’s Boom Beach, and Wooga’s June’s Journey at the ceremony in London. The Jam has already reached more than 85 million gamers and $600,000 has so far been raised to support this year’s wildlife theme.

Behind the scenes of the activations protecting wildlife for the Green Game Jam 2023

How the world’s biggest studios have found space in the best games for wildlife. Three ecosystems home to three iconic species living were chosen as this year’s cause: the Western Indian Ocean (Manta Ray), the Himalayas (Snow Leopard) and the Amazon (Harlequin Toad).

“Plastic is everywhere”: Gaming industry joins the battle against single-use plastics

Whether it’s consoles or the plastic boxes that some of our most beloved games arrive in, there’s no getting away from it: the video games industry has a plastics problem. But there’s light at the end of the tunnel: the industry is waking up to the issue and is working with increasing determination to create a solution.

Video games industry seeks to raise and reach millions to save three endangered species

Forty major video games, including the likes of Clash Royale, Angry Birds and Pac-Man have teamed up to educate and inspire their gamers to raise funds to support the Harlequin Toad, Snow Leopard and Manta Ray through play. These activations are set to go live from June 1 in support of World Environment Day.

Key Takeaways from GDC 2023, from Playing for the Planet's Sam Barratt

The Playing for the Planet team headed out to San Francisco to meet its members and hit the floor at the Game Developers Conference 2023 - here's five key takeaways from the show by Sam Barratt, Director of Education and Youth Advocacy at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Playing for the Planet Alliance launches the 2022 Annual Impact Report: a breakthrough year

Playing for the Planet Annual Impact Report 2022: Whilst there's still a way to go, this was a breakthrough year for game studios' sustainability efforts, with strong progress on decarbonisation. It serves as a inspiration to the wider industry and provides opportunity to celebrate work already done.

Alliance's largest ever study shows playing video games can lead to climate action

Playing for the Planet’s largest-ever survey has found video games can spur positive actions and attitudes toward the environment in real life. The survey, designed to unearth attitudes towards environmental issues and environmental content within games, reached 380,000 players across ten games.

Playing for the Planet Alliance releases 2021 Annual Impact Report

60% of the members have committed to either be net zero or carbon negative by 2023 and over 1 million trees have been planted. In addition, the Green Game Jam raised $800,000 for environmental causes and reached some 130 million players on ocean and forest issues.

Record year for the Green Game Jam as 42 games enter with a reach of 275 million

Playing for the Planet Alliance welcomes ten new members as 2021 Green Game Jam trailer premiered

New milestones were celebrated as 10 new members joined the Playing for the Planet Alliance and a new film celebrating the outcomes of the 2021 Green Game Jam was premiered at the UKIE and ISFE hosted “Green Games Summit”.

Second Green Game Jam empowers millions to play for the planet

In March 2021 studios convened for a series of educational workshops to learn more about the importance of conserving and restoring forests and oceans, the theme of this year’s Jam. Workshops were conducted by experts from the UN Environment Programme, as well as leading minds such as Peter Wohlleben, Dr. Elizabeth Bagley and Kristian Teleki.

Green Game Jam 2021 to empower millions of gamers to conserve and restore forests and oceans

The Playing for the Planet Alliance today launched the second-annual Green Game Jam, bringing together over 25 studios across PC, mobile and console to educate and empower millions of players to act for nature.

Inaugural Green Mobile Game Jam mobilizes players for the planet

Eleven Playing for the Planet Alliance members gathered in London to find ways to leverage the power of the medium for greater impact.

Playing for the Planet Awards to be held in Helsinki alongside Roviocon and Slush

The inaugural Playing for the Planet Awards will be held on Monday 18th November as part of an informal mixer at Metacore HQ in Helsinki, with thanks to Google and Neogames.