In-game activations as part of 2022’s Green Game Jam saw 2.5 million trees planted, according to Playing For The Planet’s 2022 Green Impact Report.
The jam saw 42 different entries, with a potential reach of 275.5 aggregated monthly active users across all participating games. New participants in the jam included Gameloft, Sumo Group, and Pan Africa Gaming Group, joining returning players such as Ustwo Games, Tencent and MAG Interactive.
“Participating in the Green Game Jam allowed MAG to work alongside other companies working towards a single goal. Sharing ideas, suggestions and knowledge, together in a short timeframe and achieving change. It really is fun and challenging. MAG Interactive has stepped up to support the green activations and continues to provide a mechanism for employees to be able to participate and do something for good outside of normal work,” said MAG Interactive project manager Sara Hedencrona.
The Green Game Jam also held a survey of nearly 400 thousand players indicating that players want studios to do more, with activations potentially reaching 630 million players.
Positive playtime
2022 proved to be a positive year for the group’s goals of using gaming to foster environmental action. Not only was the Green Game Jam the most successful yet, but the company is on track to create a new standard for gaming decarbonisation, producing a new internal white paper on how the gaming industry can work towards net-zero targets and implementing Project Drawdown, a decarbonisation business framework, with support from Unity.
Additionally, two thirds of members are working towards a decarbonisation goal aligned with the Paris Agreement, and the alliance is supporting the remaining members to accelerate their commitment throughout 2023.
The company is also well underway in its plans to explore how gaming can support real-world challenges on key environmental themes and develop a new protocol on the use of plastic in the industry. The group established a new working group to identify gaming company’s plastic use and collaborate on reduction strategies.
“While there is still a long way to go, 2022 was a breakthrough year for Playing For The Planet, with more studios signing up to science-based targets and the player survey showing a real demand for such content in games,” said UN Environment Program (UNEP) chief of youth, education and advocacy Sam Barratt.
At Pocket Gamer Connects London, Ustwo’s Jennifer Estaris took to the stage to discuss gaming’s potential for fostering environmental activism.