For the first time the annual Games for Change Festival is teaming up with the Tribeca Film Festival on April 22nd through the 24th of this year. The partnership offers Games for Change, a non-profit that promotes and analyzes games that make a notable social impact or statement within the medium, a chance to reach a significantly larger audience.
“The new relationship with the Tribeca Film Festival is an incredible opportunity to reach a new audience for the ‘games for good’ sector,” stated Games for Change President Asi Burak. “Games are often discussed in the context of entertainment, but with this event, we’ll be able to share our message that this medium can be very powerful in creating positive change in the world.”
The annual TFF began in 2001, with the help of actor/director Robert De Niro, and become one of the world’s largest events for industry professionals and film buffs. The festival has given nods to games in the past, such Rockstar’s L.A. Noire back in 2011, and more recently Quantum Dream’s Beyond Two Souls and Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us. Now with Games for Change linking to the TFF, tons of smaller and intelligent independent games have the opportunity to stand out as well.
Speaking to Polygon, Burak points out that “in the past we saw those games being made by educators and non-profits. Now it’s independent developers who have a voice and want to say something.” Burak named last year’s Paper’s Please, Gone Home, and Cart Life as examples of smaller titles with big messages.
The partnership between Games for Change and the TFF is another step in the right direction for games as a creative and artistic medium, something that TFF co-founder Craig Hatkoff clearly acknowledges and points out in today’s press release.
“Tribeca recognizes the transformative power of gaming that goes far beyond traditional entertainment value of games. The impact and integration has been spreading rapidly across virtually all domains. Of particular interest is how gaming has scaled to social good, from education to healthcare, and from conflict resolution to religion,” states Hatkoff. “By partnering with Games for Change, we hope to bring together the most cutting-edge creators of games, educators, and the world’s greatest story-tellers. Together, they will create the latest innovations in gaming for the social good to even wider audiences.”
The 11th annual Games for Change Festival takes place from April 22nd to the 24th at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, and includes the festival’s fifth iteration of the Annual Games for Change Awards. Awards include “Most Significant Impact” and “Most Innovative.” The Games for Game Festival is also making an appearance at the TFF Family Day in Tribeca on Saturday, the 26th, with its Games for Change Arcade.
For more information on the Games for Change Festival, including pricing and registration, head over to the festival’s official website.
