Microsoft Teams up To Solve Global Problems with Games

[bapenguin]

Can games help change the world? Can games help solve problems? The Games for Change group and Microsoft both think so. They've teamed up to form a global competition on creating games to help solve world problems.
As part of the announcement, Microsoft outlined an all-new socially minded global gaming competition, Xbox 360™ Games for Change Challenge, to drive awareness for games based on social themes. This worldwide competition, set to launch this summer to participants in more than 100 countries, will challenge college students to come up with the best game based on the theme of global warming. Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft, made the announcement during the 2007 Games for Change Festival Expo Night, following an introduction from Bob Kerrey, the president of The New School and a former Nebraska senator.

Full Press Release Inside.

This seems like a pretty ambitious endeavor. The G4C group is in their 4th year though. Anybody familiar with any of their previous work?

[bapenguin]

Microsoft, Games for Change Team Up to Encourage Global Problem-Solving Through Digital Gaming

Inventive partnership signals new momentum behind concept of games as social change agent.

NEW YORK — June 11, 2007 — Microsoft Corp. and Games for Change (G4C) today announced a joint commitment to explore new ways to bring together the world of digital gaming with the world of social change at the fourth annual Games for Change Festival at Parsons The New School for Design.

As part of the announcement, Microsoft outlined an all-new socially minded global gaming competition, Xbox 360™ Games for Change Challenge, to drive awareness for games based on social themes. This worldwide competition, set to launch this summer to participants in more than 100 countries, will challenge college students to come up with the best game based on the theme of global warming. Jeff Bell, corporate vice president of global marketing for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft, made the announcement during the 2007 Games for Change Festival Expo Night, following an introduction from Bob Kerrey, the president of The New School and a former Nebraska senator.

Microsoft and Games for Change will award cash prizes to the best entries. In addition to the prize money, which can be applied to the winner’s education, winners will receive an invitation to visit Microsoft to present their entry to the Microsoft games management team for possible inclusion as a download in the popular Xbox LIVE® Arcade service. Finally, the first-place team or individual will also win the opportunity to become an apprentice at Microsoft’s Interactive Entertainment Business as part of its internship program.

The students will develop games based on global warming using Microsoft® XNA™ Game Studio Express software. Launched in December 2006, XNA Game Studio Express has democratized game development by leveling the playing field for smaller game developers, nonprofessionals and academics who wish to be involved in driving innovation and creativity in the game design process.

“The current generation of gamers is among the most socially conscious in history,” said Suzanne Seggerman, co-founder and president of Games for Change. “We know from experience that young people are looking for ways to help make the world a better place, and who better to support this effort than an industry leader like Microsoft?”

The Games for Change Festival is part intellectual symposium, part game emporium. Now in its fourth year, the festival brings together academics, game creators, nonprofit representatives, business executives and activists to discuss the impact of games on our culture and evaluate the potential for a new genre of socially minded video games. Festival-goers will also have the opportunity to experience some of the best new socially minded games in person during Expo Night, an evening reception where attendees can play games, meet each other, and enjoy food and drink in a lively and informal atmosphere.

“Microsoft is very happy to work with Games for Change in taking video gaming to a whole new level by bringing in brand-new concepts and people to the game-making process,” Bell said. “We are passionate about the potential games have in expanding horizons, creating networks and helping design real-world solutions.”

More information about the Xbox 360 Games for Change Challenge will be available at http://www.xbox.com/g4c. More information about XNA can be found at http://creators.xna.com.

[Gorvi]

It seems like a noble endeavor, I just don't see it doing much. It sounds like they're trying to make games that are basically PSAs for environmental issues. So we're going to have things similiar to Captain Planet?

[digitalErich]

I agree with Gorvi, it's a noble endevor, but gamers (on the whole) might be one of the most apathetic demographics I can think of. Younger voters have the worst turn outs since they've been tracking that stuff.

I'm not saying all gamers are apathetic, but as stated many times before, we EvAvers are more often the exception to the rule. Everytime I enter Gamestop and hear the younger shoppers talking to one another, I weep a bit on the inside.

That being said, best of luck to all involved.

[vash]

id say its a purely PR related stunt ;)

[Paranoia]

id say its a purely PR related stunt ;)

I'd say its MS answer to Folding@Home.

[Squidbot]

Tree hugging online (TM) here we come!

[Varsity]

We've come a long way from generic games with skins regarding these things. If a set of game rules encoded some of the global warming effects (like economic effects, or something else that can't be appreciated with lone examples) that are currently smothered with FUD in America, it'd be an excellent achievement.

[GammaLeak]

They already have Global Warming games. They're called "climate models" and they're pre-programmed to predict the kind of doom that get professors more research grants and let politicians get elected on this sham issue. Who needs science when there's money and power to be gained through hysteria and fear?

[dimsumx]

Times are changing. If the video game medium can get something like Global Warming out to more people, more power to it. I'd disagree that people would be apathetic towards it...if you've seen what something like An Inconvenient Truth did for a lot of people, you'd see that it could work.

Make a good game, with a good message. People play it, and then they spread it. Perfectly plausible.

[scroll33]

Here's a great way to send a message of global unity REGION FREE GAMES. Bet they're not THAT commited to the 'noble' ideal.

[Karmakaze]

Bethesda should have an intern submit Fallout 3. ;)

[Stryfe01]

How is this any different than the numerous JRPG's that constantly are themed on :

1. Save the planet mankind ravaged for resources
2. Save the planet ( insert make believe creature ) ravaged for resources
3. Humans\ said creatures need to be more gentle with the earth or their greed will destroy the planet
4. The world does not have enough love and because of this all our souls are not being recycled properly. Your essence\soul is being turned into angry monsters.
5. (Add whatever else you can think of here...)

[WastelandDan]

even though it says they're trying to solve global problems, the title of the thread made me think of Ender's Game.

[Deadend]

The games based on fixing the worlds problems are really shitty games, as you can't win most of them.

[Micasa]

It seems like a noble endeavor, I just don't see it doing much. It sounds like they're trying to make games that are basically PSAs for environmental issues. So we're going to have things similiar to Captain Planet?

Think more like Metal Gear Solid's constant hammering of the NUKES ARE BAD button.