“STEM Your Game” Challenge Winners Bring STEM to New Worlds
Have you ever wondered how to keep cats satisfied … in space? ? Or what it would be like to help a robot on a perilous journey through a robot assembly factory - with only a grappling hook?
If so, we have great news: the two winners of Games for Change’s STEM Your Game Challenge have built visually astounding worlds that immerse players in gaming adventures that not only spark imagination, but also bolster STEM concepts through the scientific method, engaging problem solving, and data analysis.
The STEM Your Game Challenge, supported by Endless, was created to inspire game developers to bring their talent and creativity to the edtech community and help raise the bar for high-quality STEM engagement. “Learning games offer a perfect solution for independent, project-based learning, and provide an invaluable tool for teaching students STEM skills. There remains a dearth of high-quality digital games that successfully engage youth as entertainment products while also delivering enriching STEM learning experiences,” said Susanna Pollack, President of Games for Change.
Meet the Winners
Learning Factory EDU from Lunden.io
Learning Factory EDU is a modified version of Luden.io’s Learning Factory game in which players build a factory on Mars to produce goods for space cats. The EDU version will be tailored to teach kids STEM concepts (like production, automation, and data) through the power of the scientific method. Plus, with a design team augmented by teachers, the game will come with a lesson-planning guide and workbook - and will be free for all users, thanks to G4C.
Get-a-Grip Chip from Redstart Interactive
Get-A-Grip Chip is a charming grappling hook 2D platformer from Redstart Interactive where you play as the adorable robot, “Chip,” and fling yourself through the increasingly intense levels of a robot assembly factory. With 30 meticulously crafted levels through five diverse worlds, players are immersed in a mission to save the lost “Battery Bots” by using Chip’s head-mounted grappling hook to evade molten metal, toxic waste, lasers and saws.
After a rigorous judging process from industry experts, the two winners were chosen to receive a combined $150,000 in funding. The two game design teams will now participate in a five-month implementation phase during which they will retool or redevelop their current game. In addition to funding, the teams will receive support from a variety of cross-sector experts who will advise them on transforming their games into STEM-learning offerings.
During the Games for Change Festival (July 12-14th), the two winning teams presented their prototypes and plans for implementation alongside dozens of exciting sessions from other game designers. The Festival is the largest industry-facing event for social impact games in the world, and major themes included a focus on achieving equity and social justice, ensuring a thriving planet, promoting mental health, and regaining a sense of security. It was clear that the game designers and STEM experts imagine a future where video games represent all the kids who play them and impact the world in positive ways. You can watch all three days of the recorded Festival on the G4C Youtube page.
About Games for Change
Since 2004, Games for Change (G4C) has empowered game creators and innovators to drive real-world change, using games and immersive media that help people improve their communities and contribute to making the world a better place. G4C partners with technology and gaming companies as well as nonprofits, foundations, and government agencies, to run world-class events, public arcades, design challenges, and youth programs. G4C supports a global community of game developers working on using games to tackle real-world challenges, from humanitarian conflicts to climate change and education.