At G4C2021, more than 250 speakers from 28 countries will take you on a journey through groundbreaking games and immersive media that are redefining the industry. Over three days, connect with a cross-sector community passionate about improving diversity, equity, and inclusion, deepening global connections, and changing the world through the power of video games.
The full schedule includes a wide range of presenters featuring developers, researchers, executives, and students across multiple programming tracks. Newly-announced sessions include:
Kahlief Adams (Spawn on Me, LLC), Jim Huntley (University of Southern California), Elaine Gómez (Latinx in Gaming / Brass Lion Entertainment), Mark Barlet (The AbleGamers Charity) Conversations around diversity and inclusion often only focus on the barriers people have had to overcome. This panel of industry leaders will discuss successes in overcoming those obstacles to showcase how they have made way for others in the space.
Erin Hawley (The Geeky Gimp) Explore the ways gaming can help disabled people through escapism, fantasy, and online community, and the importance of making these spaces accessible. Erin will discuss ways disabled people are often ostracized in gaming, including inaccessibility and ableism, and ways developers and companies can work alongside disabled people to ensure everyone can play and engage.
Walter Greenleaf (Stanford University), Ekaterina Malievskaia (COMPASS Pathways), Lindsay Hoover (ImmersiveWorlds LLC), Shel Mann (FireflyVR), Nanea Reeves (TRIPP, Inc.) Psychedelics are no longer the exclusive domain of the counterculture; they are now accepted as an important part of a new generation of therapeutic approaches used to treat various mental health disorders and have demonstrated significant clinical efficacy in treating disorders that affect thousands. This panel will bring together experts in psychedelic research, finance, game development, and virtual reality therapeutic systems to discuss the impending advancement of these critical therapeutic advances.
Jessica Murrey (W!CKED SAiNTS Studio), Kellee Santiago (Niantic, Inc.), Trinidad Hermida (Niantic, Inc) What is the best way for us as a collective to better support the growth of diversity in the games industry? This panel will discuss the Black Developers Initiative, a program launched by Niantic in 2020. The speakers will dive into the process for creating a long-term, sustainable initiative and how it came to be.
Veronica Weser (play4REAL XR Lab) Can we harness the dating sim genre to convey sexual health information to a vulnerable population? Black girls are 2 times more likely than white girls to be diagnosed with an STI, associated with a 5-time increase in HIV risk. Furthermore, research suggests inadequate knowledge contributes to high HIV rates among Black women. Learn about developing a culturally tailored multiplayer dating sim that empowers Black girls to talk about HIV/STI testing and condoms.
Well-Played: Spiritfarer, Age, Death, Peace, and a Pandemic Andy Phelps (University of Canterbury / American University), Drew Moger (American University Game Center), Jocelyn Wagner (American University), Mia Consalvo (Concordia University) In Spiritfarer, characters break typical stereotypes and explore societal fears regarding aging, dying, illness, and death. Explore the context of ageism in the U.S. and Canada, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jamil Moledina (Hexagram), Raul Carvajal (G4C) Today, immersive experiences draw on the reality-blurring play of ARGs and blend in modern ambient tech such as AI, location data, and other forms of personalization. At the same time, entertainment and information have become decentralized, which also blur the lines between reality and fiction. Learn about questions of responsibility and promise in helping audiences step into brave new worlds.
The G4C Workshop Week is filling up! The workshops offer a diverse range of learning experiences that explore unique subject matter, from impact design methodologies to the power of games in the classroom. In addition, attendees will have opportunities to connect and collaborate with their peers while guided by expert facilitators from the Games for Change community.
If you're a game developer, educator, intersectional expert, or just someone who wants to learn more about impact games, secure your spot today.Registration will close on July 2nd.
Have you voted in the G4C People's Choice awards? Time is running out! Make your voice heard and let us know your favorite title from the Best Gameplay, Most Innovative, Most Significant Impact, and Best Learning Game categories. You have until July 2nd to vote, so don't delay, and make sure to tune in on July 12 to see who wins! 🏆
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