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| Deepak Chopra (Image Source: Variety/Getty Images) |
Games for Change (G4C) recently unveiled the initial lineup of speakers for the 22nd annual Games for Change Festival, the premier event for social impact gaming and immersive media taking place on June 26-27, 2025 at Parsons School of Design at The New School in New York City. The first wave of speakers includes a collection of global, cross-sector leaders reimagining how we can use games and immersive media as tools for real-world change. Headlining the festival will be Deepak Chopra and Chopra Foundation CEO Poonacha Machaiah who will deliver a keynote fireside chat exploring the intersection of gaming and mental health, their collaboration on an upcoming sandbox game, and the Global Mental Health Task Force.
“These first speakers for the 2025 Festival showcase the incredible breadth of innovation happening at the intersection of games, immersive media, and social impact. From industry pioneers to boundary-pushing creators, these initial voices just begin to touch on the diverse perspectives coming together for the Festival - all contributing to collaborative exploration essential to designing solutions for tomorrow,” said G4C President Susanna Pollack. The initial lineup comprises of ustwo games CEO Maria Sayans, Microsoft Xbox Vice President of Global Partnerships Leo Olebe, SYBO CEO Mathias Norvig, Marvel Games Executive Producer Eric Monacelli, Supercell Social Impact Partner Deborah Mensah-Bonsu, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) USA Senior Manager of Tech Initiatives and Partnerships Nicole Smith, Discord Mental Health Policy Manager Patricia Noel, University of Cambridge Visiting Researcher Rachel Kowert, New York Videogame Critics Circle President Harold Goldberg, PRELOADED Founder and Executive Creative Director Phil Stuart, Entertainment Software Association (ESA) President and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis, and Vibrant Emotional Health/988 Lifeline Director of Marketing and Communications Campaigns Nicole Twohig. Initial sessions touch on important and timely topics, including mental health and online communities, creating thoughtful gaming spaces, the potential of emerging technologies, and sustainable gaming practices from environmental and industry perspectives.
The 2025 Festival program will feature sessions across three tracks: Games & Learning, Civics & Social Issues, and Health & Wellbeing. Discussions will span topics like game development, mental health research, emerging technologies, storytelling, and purpose-driven design, all inspired by play. Additional speakers, program details, Topic Tables, and Masterclass sessions will be announced soon. Tickets for the Festival are now available until June 9, 2025 at festival.gamesforchange.org.
