About the Gaming Center of Excellence
Every day, over three billion people play video games worldwide. The global reach of gaming technology—from video games to virtual reality—offers an extraordinary opportunity to improve people’s understanding of the climate crisis.
Arsht-Rock’s Gaming Center of Excellence was designed to connect key stakeholders from the games industry, climate resilience, and social impact design to drive innovation and progress in climate games.
By matching game development teams with the resources and support they need, the Gaming Center of Excellence creates opportunities for the future of climate gaming and technologies. We advance knowledge and resources for the industry; offer workshops for game teams and studios; and work alongside industry veterans to reach gamers with resilience solutions.
Why do climate game teams need support?
Climate games have emerged as a powerful tool to inform and inspire action. However, many developers and designers face challenges as they design and launch their climate resilience games.
There is limited funding and expert support for teams working on games that aim to make a difference. However, evidence suggests that gamers are ready and eager for climate games. We’re here to bridge the gap between what teams need and what they can achieve.
What do we offer?
Climate game workshops
Since 2022, we have hosted climate game workshops at major industry events like the Game Developers Conference. We have also hosted individualized trainings for both indie and AAA studios. The workshops are designed to change the way game teams approach their development and design. We share the tools they need to better plan for real-world climate impact.
Knowledge and resources
We share reports and knowledge products designed to inspire and support game teams and publishers. Our resources help studios develop, and expand climate resilience solutions in their gameplay. Whether you work in design, art, programming, writing, or anything in between, there are actions to drive change toward a more sustainable world.
Expert consulting
Our industry veterans provide expert support to game teams and studios. They support development and ideation and provide strategic guidance. From studios creating their first climate game to established teams looking for more nuanced social impact, our team offers top-level consulting and support for teams at all stages and every level.
Did you know?
Video games have an immense cultural footprint, with over 3 billion players globally. These players are actively seeking climate change content.
45%
of gamers stated that they believe the video gaming industry should be doing more to address global warming
22%
of players reported that they had seen or heard content related to global warming as part of gaming in the last 12 months
13%
say they took actions based on the content they learned about global warming in a game or gaming stream
Learn more from the study conducted by Unity and the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication. Our gaming advisor, Marina Psaros, served as a principal investigator for the report.
